Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many claims were made for (a) delayed or (b) cancelled journeys by railway companies in public ownership in each month for which records are available; and what was the value of those claims.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Most train operating companies publish on their website Delay Repay compensation data on the number of claims submitted, the number of claims approved and the value of these claims. Delay Repay compensation is paid for eligible delays regardless of the reason for the delay. See below, for the most recent rail period available, the relevant data for Southeastern, South Western Railway, Northern and TransPennine Trains and a link to their website.
Train Operating Company | Claims Received | Claims Approved | Value of Claims | Average Value Per Approved Claim | Website |
Southeastern | 35,447 | 27,808 | £234,212.50 | £8.42 | |
South Western Railway | 24,662 | 18,488 | £187,488.00 | £10.14 | |
Northern | 55,801 | 43,455 | £382,782.00 | £8.81 | |
TransPennine Trains | 25,292 | 19,728 | £349,867.88 | £17.73 |
We are unable to provide London North Eastern Railway’s (LNER’s) data as it is not something it currently publishes on its website. The figures provided below from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) covers a period longer than one month and is also the number of claims closed, not received, or approved. We have included its approval rate, along with the link to the ORR data.
LNER - 05/01/25 to 31/03/25 - 117,948 Claims Closed – Approval Rate of 79.5 per cent. https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/delay-compensation-claims/.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press release entitled UK-Morocco Joint Communiqué: Strategic Dialogue 2025, published on 1 June 2025, whether he has issued guidance to (a) UK Export Finance and (b) UK businesses on investments in Western Sahara.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the UK-Morocco Joint Communique: Enhanced Strategic Partnership, published on 1 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to encourage UK businesses to invest in Western Sahara.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Morocco Enhanced Strategic Partnership, signed on 1 June 2025, on levels of trade with Morocco in the next ten years.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to encourage trade with Morocco.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the comments of 1 June 2025 of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara on UK-Morocco trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the comments of 1 June 2025 of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara on UK trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of furthering the Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Morocco on agricultural trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to implement improvements to the West of England rail line in the context of the cancellation of the A303 Stonehenge road improvement scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has no plans for enhancements to the West of England line at this time. Government investment priorities for rail enhancements in England and Wales will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review next month.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Great British Rail plans to take to help improve (a) travel times, (b) punctuality and (c) passenger experience on the West of England line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Services operated by South Western Railway, which operates the West of England line, will transfer into public ownership when their contract expires on 25 May 2025. Under public ownership, passenger services will be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.
Bringing train operations into public ownership is the first step in the Government’s plans for wider rail reform. The Railways Bill will be introduced later this session, which will enable the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR). GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight customers.
Through these reforms we will deliver better quality services for passengers and freight customers, resulting in fewer delays and a timetable that better serves their needs.