Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what governance arrangements are proposed for Great British Railways under the Railways Bill.

The Railways Bill is focused on simplifying governance. The Bill sets out the functions of Great British Railways (GBR): what we expect it to do and its general duties: what we expect it to consider and achieve. It also sets out that the Transport Secretary will set the Long-Term Rail Strategy for the industry, agree GBR’s business plan and funding, and intervene if GBR does not properly consider its duties.

GBR’s senior leaders and workforce will be held accountable for their performance first and foremost by its Board, with the Chair required to report on progress against the business plan to the Transport Secretary.

Should GBR fail to deliver on its agreed Business Plan, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) will bring this to the Transport Secretary’s attention through its enhanced monitoring role which is enshrined in the Bill. The ORR also has a specific role in the Bill to advise on the contents of the Business Plan and whether it is reasonable, proportionate and cost effective.

If something goes astray with the business plan or with GBR’s adherence to its plan, the Transport Secretary will have a number of levers to hold GBR to account including raising this with GRB’s chair, providing GBR with written guidance that it must have regard to, and finally issuing a mandatory direction for GBR to change what it is doing.

As the main funder, the Transport Secretary should provide oversight of the business plan, likewise, Scottish Ministers will have oversight of their part of GBR’s integrated business plan for Scotland. In extremis, the funders can withdraw funding if there is a fundamental issue with how GBR is carrying out its activities or spending its money.

The Government has published documents which provides further information on the proposed accountability framework underpinned by the Railways Bill:

Railways Bill factsheet: holding Great British Railways to account - GOV.UK;

Great British Railways licence and the accountability framework - GOV.UK