Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the average salary of (a) train guards, (b) train drivers and (c) signalling staff as of 21 June 2022.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Rail staff salaries are managed and set by the individual Train Operating Companies and Network Rail in line with their annual budgets.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) report that in 2021 median gross annual pay for train and tram drivers in the UK was approximately £59,000. The ONS does not specifically report on the pay of train guards and signalling staff but do publish pay estimates of wider groupings of which they are a part. Rail Travel Assistants (including train guards) had average gross median pay of circa £33,000 in 2021. The equivalent for Rail Transport Operatives (including signalling staff) was circa £49,000.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the rail strikes on the economy.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government regrets that the trade unions have chosen to go ahead with the strikes. These strikes are impacting local businesses and the ability of the general public to get to school, hospital and work.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has estimated the cost to the economy of the three days of strike action to be at least £91 million.
The Secretary of State is frequently updating Cabinet about the impact of the strikes. The Government and rail industry, including Network Rail, have worked together and continue to work together to ensure plans are in place to minimise disruption allowing for freight and passenger services to remain operational where possible. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat is also convening ministers daily during the strike period to assess operational response and impact.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much it cost to operate the Acceleration Unit in each year since 2020.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The costs for the Acceleration Unit are met out of existing Civil Service staffing budgets.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many projects the Acceleration Unit has advised on since it was established; and if he will make an estimate of the (a) time and (b) monetary savings secured on projects due to advice from the Acceleration Unit.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The time and cost savings generated through the work of the Acceleration Unit can be complex to disaggregate and some of the information is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide Parliament with a report on the work of his Department's Acceleration Unit.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The Acceleration Unit performs valuable work at the Department for Transport. DfT oversight and leadership on Project Speed and the secretariat of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council have both been transferred to the Acceleration Unit. The Acceleration Unit also has oversight of the departmental contribution to cross-Whitehall activity in relation to acceleration, particularly work on reforming the planning system, utilities, and how DfT can use improved governance to efficiently deliver projects.
Asked by: Stephen Hammond (Conservative - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to require Great British Railways to invest in digital signalling across the rail network as part of his next High Level Output Specification and Statement of Funds Available for Control Period 7.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Office of Rail and Road’s Review Initiation Notice issued on 9 June binds the Department for Transport to provide its High-Level Output Specification and Statement of Funds Available by 28 October of this year, within which will be set out the Secretary of State’s requirements. Work to produce these documents is ongoing.