Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to implement his Department's policy that penalty fares appeals bodies should be independent of train operators and owning companies; and whether the ownership of the Independent Penalty Fares Appeals Service by Govia is consistent with that policy.

The Government published its response on the rail fares penalty appeal process consultation in December 2016. The response set out plans to bring forward a new Statutory Instrument which includes provisions requiring that penalty fares appeals bodies should be independent of Train operators and owning companies. The industry has already taken steps towards this objective and the Independent Penalty Fares Appeals Service is currently in the process of winding down consideration of penalty fare appeals.