Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent officials of his Department are working on the invitation to tender for the West Midlands rail franchise; and if he will make a statement.

There are 15.5 full time equivalent officials of the Department working on the invitation to tender for the West Midlands rail franchise. This count includes two full time secondments within the team but does not include advisers contracted to work on the invitation to tender.