Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to balance safety considerations with efficiency requirements in Great British Railways’ statutory duties.

GBR’s general duties, including the duty to ensure efficient use of taxpayers’ money, will not negate GBR’s statutory obligations under the safety regime. The Railways Bill will not change the safety regime from the existing model that keeps the travelling public and workers safe, a regime that is well understood, that works and has made Britain’s railways one of the safest in Europe.