Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of a rail sector deal to the North East.

Sector Deals are a challenge to sectors to come together under clear leadership and make a clear and compelling case to government for a Deal. The Industrial Strategy set out six expectations government has of a Deal. These include ensuring that the breadth of the sector is clearly represented in any deal, explicitly including local areas with an interest in the success of the sector, and that any specific proposals clearly articulate the impact they have on specific parts of the country.

The Government would expect these expectations to be fully met in any potential future Sector deal with the Rail sector.