Contributions
1,335 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)That is quite a significant risk, isn’t it?20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Thank you. I rest my case.20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you, all three of you, for agreeing to give oral evidence today. I will start with Mr Brown, who represents Angel Trains: first of all, can you say a little bit about…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Q That is an awful lot of money, and that comes down to the meat of it: this Bill changes the relationship between GBR and the supply chain—between GBR and ROSCOs, in your case.…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Q There is reference, obviously, to a long-term strategy for rail in the Bill, but how long that is is not defined. Let us give the Minister a helping hand: for the ROSCOs and for…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Q So if you have a degree of certainty for the next 10 years and a forward look for, say, the next five after that—the Minister is right here, so shall we say 15 years for a…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you for that. Mr Caplan, you represent RIA. Please explain to the Committee what RIA is and how important your organisation is. Darren Caplan: We represent rail suppliers…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q Given those enormous constraints, can you sit before the Committee and say that this is a strong appeals process? John Larkinson: Using words like “strong” is quite difficult in…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q You say that it fits with the description of what the Government want GBR to do, but from the drafting of the Bill we can conclude that the Government want GBR to be the final…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)That would be rational. Ben Plowden: It would be perfectly rational, and I understand from media reports that that may indeed be what is happening on the west coast main line. It…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q I thank both the witnesses for coming. There is a lot to get through and we are short of time. I will start with Mr Williams. You have written a report on the future of railway.…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q I turn now to the Bill, rather than the broader situation. There are huge powers in the Bill for the Secretary of State or the Department for Transport, in relation to setting…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Yes, from Government rather than GBR being the director. Keith Williams: No, the way I see it is that, actually, there is a good segregation of functions within the system now…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q Mr Brown, there are very few references in the Bill to value for money driving competition. In fact, the competition remit of the ORR is specifically excluded for large sections…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Do you think they have the balance right here? How do we drive value for money for taxpayers given those very significant constraints on competition? Richard Brown: Yes, I do. I…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you all for coming in person or, Emma, for joining online. I am going to focus on clause 18 of the Bill, which is on the general duties of Ministers, GBR and the ORR. In…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Neither of which we have seen. Michael Roberts: Correct, and I think the Committee would want the reassurance of understanding what content covering this aspect will be in those…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q The second issue I wish to draw out is the fair treatment of other fare providers. At the moment, a number of independent retailers have very good tech that facilitates…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Q What if the Government refuse to carve it off, as has been done in other international examples? The Bill does not require a level playing field. Would you support improving the…20 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (First sitting)Does anyone else on the panel disagree with that assertion? Michael Roberts indicated dissent.20 Jan 2026