Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what legislation or regulations the establishment and functions of the Rail North and the Rail North Board are based.

The Association of Rail North Partner Authorities was established as a local government association under section 143 of the Local Government Act 1972 to discuss and consult as to their common interests on rail matters.

The powers to establish and join Rail North Ltd are in the case of combined authorities their well-being power under section 102A (linked to section 99) of the Local Transport Act 2008 and/or their functional power of competence under section 113A of the Local Democracy, Economic Development Act 2009 (inserted by section 13 of the Localism Act 2011). In the case of county councils and unitary authorities the relevant power is their general power of competence under section 1 of the Localism Act 2011.