Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Shaw report published in 2016, what plans his Department has to deliver more competitive tendering for the supply of rail maintenance and infrastructure support by Network Rail; and if he will publish details of those plans.

The Department for Transport (DfT) aims to drive value for money in the delivery of all services procured by the department. Guidance is provided to our commercial teams, Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs), and Executive Agencies so that the legislative framework that we operate in is adhered to, and wider government policies such as the Construction and Sourcing Playbooks are embedded in all procurement activity. The Playbooks set out best practice guidance for contracting organisations to promote efficiency in the procurement process.

As an ALB within the DfT Group, Network Rail is responsible for translating this legislation and guidance into individual tendering processes, that will be specific to the individual projects and contracts that support their operations. As individual business cases would be commercially sensitive to Network Rail and its suppliers, it would not be appropriate to publish these specific plans.

DfT are committed to embedding the principles of the Construction Playbook and increasing the efficiency of procurement to drive value for money across the DfT Group.

This supports the Department’s strategic priorities, which are published and in the public domain.