Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kieran Mullan this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 141–155 of 155 · this parliament
If she will publish her Department's detailed plans for the extension of HS2 to Euston.
The Government is working at pace to review the position it has inherited on HS2, including options for Euston. We will set out a clear plan in due course.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of public ownership of the railways on Government debt in the (a) short and (b) medium term.
Both publicly and privately owned DfT-contracted train operating companies are already included in the public sector, classified by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as public non-financial corporations currently. A transfer of these DfT-contracted train operating companies to government ownership will have no immediate impact on public debt statistics. The ONS are responsible for classification decisions affecting the public finances and measurement of public debt.
What progress her Department has made on the (a) designs for and (b) delivery of the Midlands Rail Hub.
Following approval of an Outline Business Case, £123m was released to Network Rail in March 2024 to commence detailed design of Midlands Rail Hub’s first phase (for additional services between Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Worcester), while subsequent phases are at an earlier stage of development. Subject to future decisions about affordability and value for money, the first stage could be complete by the early 2030s. The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio. This will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review.
What steps she is taking to support the long-term sustainability of rolling stock manufacturing.
The Government recognises the importance of rolling stock manufacturing, and alongside our plan for the railways, Getting Britain Moving, we have committed to develop a long-term Rolling Stock Strategy which will support British manufacturing and innovation. My officials are working at pace on its development, and I will set out further details in due course. My officials work closely with the sector to understand future rolling stock needs. As trains are assets with a lifespan of 35-40 years, the Government will seek to end the boom-and-bust cycle by ensuring that there is a strong pipeline of work. There is now a clear domestic UK market for rolling stock procurement, with current competitions for SouthEastern and TransPennine Express underway. With other potential procurements on Chiltern, Northern, and Great Western upcoming, there are and will be numerous business opportunities available for rolling stock manufacturers.
What steps she is taking to help (a) maintain and (b) improve the operational performance of (i) Greater Anglia and (ii) other private rail operators during the transition to public ownership.
The Government’s approach will be consistent across all operators, including Greater Anglia. While National Rail Contracts (NRCs) remain in place, we will set stretching performance targets for each operator through the annual business planning process. These targets will be specific to each operator, reflecting their individual circumstances. Where performance falls short, we will require operators to put in place robust improvement plans. The Secretary of State has already met a number of poorly performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, setting clear expectations for immediate improvement.
What progress her Department has made on (a) strategic rail projects in the north of England and (b) Northern Powerhouse Rail.
We are committed to a long-term approach to infrastructure and investment, taking account of local transport priorities. We will thoroughly review the fiscal position we have inherited before setting out more detailed plans for this in due course.
How she plans to manage the capacity of DfT OLR Holdings Limited to absorb additional rail franchises; and what steps she is taking to expand its capabilities.
The responsibility for the transfers from the private to the public sectors lies with DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL). DOHL is tasked with undertaking these transfers in an efficient and effective manner with no disruption to passengers and employees. The Board has a strong mix of skills, expertise and experience in the rail industry that covers safety, rail franchising, finance and management accounting, project change, project management and contracts. DOHL has managed four successful transfers so far and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of all train operating companies into public ownership.The Department will continue to work with DOHL and ensure that it has sufficient capacity to take on train operating companies and manage effectively the train operating companies currently under its control as we work towards Great British Railways. DOHL is already well versed in building up specialist capacity quickly in response to a need to transfer operations to the public sector at pace. Significant work is already underway by DOHL to bring in additional capacity and expertise. We are meeting regularly with DOHL to obtain assurances that it is scaling up appropriately to meet the opportunities and challenges of public ownership and operation.
What steps she plans to take to ensure that there is a smooth transition from private to public rail operators.
The responsibility for the transfers from the private to the public sectors lies with DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL). DOHL is tasked with undertaking these transfers in an efficient and effective manner with no disruption to passengers and employees. The Board has a strong mix of skills, expertise and experience in the rail industry that covers safety, rail franchising, finance and management accounting, project change, project management and contracts. DOHL has managed four successful transfers so far and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of all train operating companies into public ownership.The Department will continue to work with DOHL and ensure that it has sufficient capacity to take on train operating companies and manage effectively the train operating companies currently under its control as we work towards Great British Railways. DOHL is already well versed in building up specialist capacity quickly in response to a need to transfer operations to the public sector at pace. Significant work is already underway by DOHL to bring in additional capacity and expertise. We are meeting regularly with DOHL to obtain assurances that it is scaling up appropriately to meet the opportunities and challenges of public ownership and operation.
What (a) the criteria for assessment and (b) her Department's planned timeline is for the review of individual Restoring Your Railways projects.
Aside from Restoring Your Railways (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.
What steps she is taking to help mitigate the impact of the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway programme on (a) regional connectivity and (b) economic development.
Aside from Restoring Your Railway (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.
What steps she plans to take to help ensure that public railway operators achieve passenger growth.
We are committed to delivering a unified and simplified rail system that focuses on improved services for passengers and better value for taxpayers, ending years of fragmentation and waste. We will establish Great British Railways as the directing mind in charge of Britain’s railway infrastructure and services, responsible for ensuring both work together. We will also bring passenger services into public ownership, in the pursuit of a more efficient and passenger-focused rail system. In the interim, while National Rail Contracts (NRCs) remain in place, we will set stretching performance targets for each operator through the annual business planning process. These targets will be specific to each operator, reflecting their individual circumstances. Where performance falls short, we will require operators to put in place robust improvement plans. The Secretary of State has already met a number of poorly performing train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, setting clear expectations for immediate improvement.
What steps she is taking to ensure that the costs associated with the establishment of Great British Railways remain within budget.
The King’s Speech set out that we will be introducing legislation to establish Great British Railways (GBR) in this Parliamentary session.The Rail Sector Transformation Programme Board will hold to account those responsible for implementing reforms and will oversee the planned savings and track incurred costs. We are applying lessons from recent National Audit Office, Public Accounts Committee and Infrastructure and Projects Authority reports, including ensuring there is effective governance and clear accountabilities.
If she will take steps to ensure engagement with (a) the public and (b) campaign groups on decisions on transportation projects that have been (i) halted or (ii) altered due to the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway programme.
Aside from Restoring Your Railways (RYR) projects currently at the delivery stage or in construction, all remaining RYR-originated projects are now being considered as part of preparations for the Spending Review. Ministers have been clear that not all projects will be able to proceed to delivery due to the challenging financial situation facing the Department.
Whether any rail operators will be brought into public ownership before their contract expires.
The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill facilitates the Government’s commitment to bring passenger train operations into public ownership and enables the Secretary of State to commence the transition to public sector operation as current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point. This approach ensures that taxpayers will not need to compensate operating companies for ending contracts early. The Bill does not exclude the possibility of terminating a contract before it expires if the train operating company defaults on its obligations, as set out in its respective National Rail Contract. National Rail Contracts are publicly available and can be accessed through the ‘Public register of rail passenger contracts’.
What plans she has for the Northeye detention centre in Bexhill.
We have got to work straight away on fixing the asylum system and protecting our border.That has already included a surge in capacity on returning failed asylum seekers, as demonstrated by last week’s flight to Vietnamand Timor-Leste. I will be considering options and will take a view on the future use of the Northeye site in due course.