Don’t look at me.

Don’t look at me.

I shall not list them.

I shall not list them.

I think they include the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon.

I think they include the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon.

Some of the board.

As the noble Baroness says, London TravelWatch plays a vital role as the statutory watchdog for London, championing the interests of people who travel across all modes of the city’s integrated transport network. That is precisely why the Bill will strengthen its rail powers to ensure there...

Some of the board.

As the noble Baroness says, London TravelWatch plays a vital role as the statutory watchdog for London, championing the interests of people who travel across all modes of the city’s integrated transport network. That is precisely why the Bill will strengthen its rail powers to ensure there...

I thank the Committee for this debate; I would say “short debate”, but I spoke quite extensively and maybe comprehensively on this matter. I understand what the Minister is saying, but it would be helpful, even if he has to define it differently, to put London TravelWatch, where appropriate, on...

I thank the Committee for this debate; I would say “short debate”, but I spoke quite extensively and maybe comprehensively on this matter. I understand what the Minister is saying, but it would be helpful, even if he has to define it differently, to put London TravelWatch, where appropriate, on...

Moved by

Lord Bradshaw

54: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause—

“Protection of rail funding settlements

(1) This section applies where the Secretary of State proposes to make a material change affecting an agreed multi-year funding settlement for the railway (“the settlement”), whether by—

(a) reducing the funding provided under the settlement,

(b) altering...

Moved by

Lord Bradshaw

54: After Clause 12, insert the following new Clause—

“Protection of rail funding settlements

(1) This section applies where the Secretary of State proposes to make a material change affecting an agreed multi-year funding settlement for the railway (“the settlement”), whether by—

(a) reducing the funding provided under the settlement,

(b) altering...

The amendment that I am moving is almost self-explanatory. I think that most people in the Room will have witnessed arbitrary cuts in expenditure on the railway. These cuts probably emanate from the Treasury but come through the Department for Transport, which says that it must cut 10% of rail...

The amendment that I am moving is almost self-explanatory. I think that most people in the Room will have witnessed arbitrary cuts in expenditure on the railway. These cuts probably emanate from the Treasury but come through the Department for Transport, which says that it must cut 10% of rail...

My Lords, I have two amendments in this group: Amendments 65 and 73. Rather than the broader issues of funding, mine are much more nitty-gritty questions about the transparency of the business plan and how the funding processes for Great British Railways are to work.

Amendment 65 is to Schedule 2,...

My Lords, I have two amendments in this group: Amendments 65 and 73. Rather than the broader issues of funding, mine are much more nitty-gritty questions about the transparency of the business plan and how the funding processes for Great British Railways are to work.

Amendment 65 is to Schedule 2,...

I never chastised.

I never chastised.

Oh!

Oh!

I would never dream of doing that. It is inconceivable that I should do that. I drew to my noble friend’s attention an email that I had received that said that he had made a mistake and that the Minister had also made a mistake. I gave no opinion myself...

I would never dream of doing that. It is inconceivable that I should do that. I drew to my noble friend’s attention an email that I had received that said that he had made a mistake and that the Minister had also made a mistake. I gave no opinion myself...

I thank my noble friend for that correction. He has shared the email with me. I think it is worth putting on the record the point,

made in that email, that it is important to distinguish between joint ventures on the one hand and corporate activities of companies on the...

I thank my noble friend for that correction. He has shared the email with me. I think it is worth putting on the record the point,

made in that email, that it is important to distinguish between joint ventures on the one hand and corporate activities of companies on the...

My Lords, we are now redebating what was debated the other day. However, since there was an element of confusion, the noble Lord has accurately characterised the difference in position between himself and the noble Baroness, Lady Jones of Moulsecoomb, but it was in the context of an important debate...

My Lords, we are now redebating what was debated the other day. However, since there was an element of confusion, the noble Lord has accurately characterised the difference in position between himself and the noble Baroness, Lady Jones of Moulsecoomb, but it was in the context of an important debate...

I think that was an intervention. I can only speak for myself, but I do not think I am confused now. The Bill does not inhibit this from happening in future and that is a satisfactory position for us to have reached. That is relevant to this debate in that...

I think that was an intervention. I can only speak for myself, but I do not think I am confused now. The Bill does not inhibit this from happening in future and that is a satisfactory position for us to have reached. That is relevant to this debate in that...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 54 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, and Amendment 55 in the name of my noble friend Lord Moylan. Obviously, I have not heard my noble friend’s exposition of the purpose of his amendment, which I look forward to listening...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 54 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, and Amendment 55 in the name of my noble friend Lord Moylan. Obviously, I have not heard my noble friend’s exposition of the purpose of his amendment, which I look forward to listening...

May I just say that three months’ notice is not a long time and any arbitrary cut cannot possibly take place in three months because timetables, trains and rosters have to be altered? Three months is a very short amount of time to give the rail regulator to make decisions.

I...

May I just say that three months’ notice is not a long time and any arbitrary cut cannot possibly take place in three months because timetables, trains and rosters have to be altered? Three months is a very short amount of time to give the rail regulator to make decisions.

I...

I am grateful for the noble Lord’s intervention. I had not yet started dealing with his amendment in detail—I was dealing with my noble friend Lord Moylan’s—but I listened carefully to what he said and will deal with it when I get to his amendment.

I am not sure that I...

I am grateful for the noble Lord’s intervention. I had not yet started dealing with his amendment in detail—I was dealing with my noble friend Lord Moylan’s—but I listened carefully to what he said and will deal with it when I get to his amendment.

I am not sure that I...

My Lords, what an absolute pleasure it is to hear from my railway expert noble friend Lord Bradshaw. It is such a delight that he has been able to join us in Committee in person today and to contribute to our debate, particularly after he had a significant birthday yesterday.

Funding...

My Lords, what an absolute pleasure it is to hear from my railway expert noble friend Lord Bradshaw. It is such a delight that he has been able to join us in Committee in person today and to contribute to our debate, particularly after he had a significant birthday yesterday.

Funding...

My Lords, I have a number of amendments in this group: Amendments 55, 56, 70, 78 and 86. I start with Amendment 78. Paragraph 15 of Schedule 2 states:

“Financial assistance given to Great British Railways or a GBR company”

primarily to enable it to carry out its infrastructure functions under Clause...

My Lords, I have a number of amendments in this group: Amendments 55, 56, 70, 78 and 86. I start with Amendment 78. Paragraph 15 of Schedule 2 states:

“Financial assistance given to Great British Railways or a GBR company”

primarily to enable it to carry out its infrastructure functions under Clause...

My Lords, briefly, the amendments from the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, on producing a business plan are absolutely essential because, as he noted, the railways need long-term investment. It is not just trains which need to somehow be ordered 10 or 20 years before they are needed but things such...

My Lords, briefly, the amendments from the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, on producing a business plan are absolutely essential because, as he noted, the railways need long-term investment. It is not just trains which need to somehow be ordered 10 or 20 years before they are needed but things such...