Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a separate assessment was made on the potential merits of refunding or extending the expiration date on Senior Railcards as part of the decision not to refund the costs of railcards which have expired during the period of national covid-19 restrictions.

The Department recognises that Senior railcard holders have been unable to use their railcards whilst travel restrictions have been in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and have not been able to benefit to the fullest extent over recent months. Changing the refund policy for railcard holders could come at an additional cost to taxpayers.