Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he received the most recent report on the financial ratio measurement of the Northern franchise; and what assessment he has made of the solvency of that franchise in respect of its (a) actual financial performance to date and (b) forecast financial results.

Financial performance data, including forecast financial ratios are received every four weeks from train operators, the most recent of which was on the 27th September 2019. The Department closely monitors these commercially confidential reports to ensure that the train operators remain compliant with the obligations within their Franchise Agreements.