Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of industrial action by train guards on passengers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department regrets the impact any industrial action by guards may have on passengers. The Department works with its contracted train operators to minimise the impact of any industrial action and encourages them and the trade unions to resolve matters, through discussion, as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71253 on Railways: Facilities Agreements, if she will publish a copy of the extant facility time agreements in place for (a) her Department, (b) Great British Railways and (c) DfT Operator Limited.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In rail, facility time agreements are between individual train operating companies or Network Rail and the trade unions (TUs), not between the Department for Transport or DfT Operator Limited and the TUs. Great British Railways has not yet been established so has no facility time agreements.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with train operating companies on industrial disputes relating to the scanning of electronic tickets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The train operating companies are responsible for managing industrial relations with their workforces and trade unions. The Department engages regularly with all of its contracted train operating companies regarding their approach to industrial disputes, including regarding ticket scanning.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with trade unions on the formation of Anglia Railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and our industry partners, Network Rail and DFT Operator, have regular discussions with trade unions on a range of topics, including rail reform, of which integrated management arrangements are one part. The formation of integrated management arrangements across track and train, such as South Eastern Railway already established, is led by Network Rail and DFT Operator.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the membership and terms of reference of the Rail Engagement Group.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As part of our manifesto commitment to reset industrial relations, the Government is looking to establish the Rail Engagement Group (REG). It is intended that the REG will bring together leaders from the Department for Transport, rail industry and trade unions for strategic discussions about the railway, as we move towards establishing Great British Railways.
Individuals have recently been invited to join the REG. The group’s membership will be published on gov.uk after it has been confirmed. The terms of reference will be published once agreed by the REG.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she plans to have discussions with unions ahead of rail companies being taken into public ownership.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and DFT Operator have regular discussions with trade unions on a range of topics, including the public ownership programme. Officials engage with trade unions throughout the transfer process, from the point of confirming when a train operator’s services will transfer into public ownership through to the transfer date and beyond.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance (a) Network Rail, (b) her Department and its agencies and (c) Great British Railways have produced on trade union facility time for railways staff.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Facility time arrangements are matters for individual rail employers and the trade unions to agree, in accordance with trade union and labour relations legislation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role (a) her Department and (b) its agencies will play in making agreements with trade unions on the nationalised railways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As the employers, Network Rail and individual train operators, including those owned by DfT Operator Ltd, are responsible for negotiating agreements with the trade unions, under established collective bargaining arrangements.
The future role of Great British Railways in this process has still to be determined.
Asked by: Laurence Turner (Labour - Birmingham Northfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has held with railway trade unions on transfers of employment to DfT Operator Limited.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and DFT Operator have regular discussions with trade unions on a range of topics, including the transfer of currently franchised rail passenger services into public ownership. As services are transferred into public ownership, staff employed by the privately-owned operator transfer to the public sector operator in accordance with Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations. Rail trade unions are intrinsically involved in this process.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's statistics entitled Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry: 2024, published on 26 February 2025, if she will work with maritime trade unions to set targets for the number of maritime apprentices in (a) Deck, (b) Engine, (c) Electro-technical (d) Catering and (e) On Board Service roles.
Answered by Mike Kane
The UK has a strategic need to ensure a pipeline of trained seafarers, particularly with greener ships, future fuels, new technologies and automation. The Department is working with the sector, including trade unions, to deliver the recommendations from the Ratings Review, published in 2023. This will ensure the UK has the ratings workforce needed to secure the long-term strength of our maritime industry.