Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many electric trains are being held by rolling stock companies and have not been released to train operators; and how many electric trains have been scrapped in the last five years.

The Department does not track how many electric trains are with rolling stock operators but not leased to train operators.

I am able to say however that there are a number of new electric passenger train fleets undergoing testing prior to delivery to operators; these include South Western Class 701, East Midlands Class 810 and West Midlands Class 730. It is a matter for rolling stock owners to determine the future use of any fleets returned by passenger train operators.