Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 14 March 2022 to Question 136657, on Southeastern Trains: Cleaning Services, if he will publish the terms of the Service Contract between the Secretary of State, DOHL and SE Trains Limited.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department published the Southeastern Service Contract on the Government website on 12 April 2022.
It is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/south-eastern-railways-2021-olr-rail-contract.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether due diligence and fit and proper person checks have been carried out by his Department or by Southeastern Trains Ltd in relation to ESO Capital, which part-owns Churchill Group.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the responsibility of train operators to ensure all necessary due diligence has been completed when entering into a contract with a third-party.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the directors of Southeastern Trains Ltd to place on the agenda of the next SE Trains Board meeting the current pay dispute involving Churchill Cleaners.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department has regular meetings with the Directors of South East Trains on a range of historic, current and future franchise issues, which can include discussions relating to the role of third parties in the delivery of South Eastern Trains Ltd operations.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the directors of Southeastern Trains Ltd to place on the agenda of the next SE Trains Board meeting the issue of free rail travel for Churchill Cleaners.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department has regular meetings with the Directors of South East Trains on a range of historic, current and future franchise issues, which can include discussions relating to the role of third parties in the delivery of South Eastern Trains Ltd operations.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has the power to instruct relevant directors of Southeastern Trains Ltd to meet representatives of Churchill cleaners on their industrial dispute.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the terms of the Service Contract between the Secretary of State, DOHL and South Eastern Trains Ltd, the operator is contractually obliged to effectively cooperate with all third-party suppliers and a South Eastern Ltd Trains director has already met with Churchill’s regarding the industrial dispute.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the contractor is indemnified from penalty payments caused by industrial action under the terms of the contract between Southeastern Trains Ltd and Churchill Group.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under Chapter 9.6, Paragraph 1 of the Service Contract between The Secretary of State for Transport, DOHL and South East Trains Limited, the Department is unable to provide confidential commercially sensitive information between a train operator and a third party.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the contractor is required to have a plan for good industrial relations under the terms of the contract between SE Trains Ltd and Churchill Group.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under Chapter 9.6, Paragraph 1 of the Service Contract between The Secretary of State for Transport, DOHL and South East Trains Limited, the Department is unable to provide confidential commercially sensitive information between a train operator and a third party.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the contractor is obliged to provide regular reports in respect of an equalities action plan under the terms of the contract between SE Trains Ltd and Churchill Group.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under Chapter 9.6, Paragraph 1 of the Service Contract between The Secretary of State for Transport, DOHL and South East Trains Limited, the Department is unable to provide confidential commercially sensitive information between a train operator and a third party.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish correspondence between his Department and the directors of Southeastern Trains Ltd in respect of the dispute between sub-contracted cleaning staff and Churchill Group.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (2000), if requested, the Department will consider whether it is able and appropriate to publish relevant correspondence between the Department and South East Trains with regards to any issues.