Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to put in place for an operator of last report for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern passenger rail franchise since September 2013.

The Secretary of State has a duty under Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993, to maintain the continuity of passenger rail services in the event that a passenger rail franchise terminates and is not immediately replaced. In order to ensure the effective discharge of this duty the Department maintains a standby capability which would enable it to step into a rail franchise and operate it in the public sector should the need arise. There are currently no plans in place to step into the Thameslink Southern and Great Northern franchise.