Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to help safeguard the pensions of rail workers employed by (a) Stagecoach and (b) Virgin Trains.

Responsibility for providing pensions for employees in the rail franchising system resides with train operators. Under current franchising arrangements when contracts are awarded train operators are required, under the terms of Schedule 16 of the Franchise Agreement, to provide pensions. This requirement will continue to apply when the new train operator takes over responsibility for pensions in which the current rail workers employed by Stagecoach and Virgin Trains participate.