Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's negotiating priorities are in pay negotiations with train drivers unions.

The Government’s priority is to resolve the dispute and work with industry to deliver crucial reform to our railways. The Department has supported negotiations by facilitating discussions and improving communication between trade unions and the employers. There have been open and constructive discussions; however, the actions of the RMT and ASLEF are causing further disruptions to the resolution of this dispute by rejecting the fair and reasonable pay offers and not allowing their members to have a say on their future.