Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the operator of last report provisions are for each franchise agreement for passenger rail services currently in operation.

There are a number of provisions throughout each franchise agreement that relate to the continuity and preservation of rail services by a Successor Operator which could include the Operator of Last Resort under the provisions of Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993. Schedules 1.6, 10, 14 and 15 of the National Rail Franchise Terms and Conditions are of particular relevance in this regard.