Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing financial penalties for transport companies that fail to provide assistance for passengers who require such assistance.

The Government wants disabled people to be able to travel easily, confidently and without additional cost, and expects transport operators to play their part in making this happen.

Modal regulators play an important role in ensuring passengers receive the appropriate assistance, and we continue to consider measures to improve the experiences of passengers further. At present, however, we have no plans to apply financial penalties where they do not exist.

Responsibility for road and rail transport accessibility in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive.