Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timescale is for making a decision on the commercial models for the development of the East Coast Partnership; and what his timescale is for receiving Keith William's Rail Review Report.

The plans for the ECP are progressing well. The aim is to continue the ongoing design of the Partnership in a sustainable way and deliver reliable and high-quality rail services for passengers in step with Keith Williams’ root and branch review of the railway. The government will publish a White Paper setting out how we will implement the Review’s recommendations in the autumn. Reform will start as early as 2020.