Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress Network Rail has made in carrying out rail infrastructure safety assessments required by the Office of Rail and Road.

The department looks to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent rail safety regulator, to ensure that Network Rail is held to account for safety-related matters. ORR has assessed Network Rail’s progress in carrying out structural assessments and is assured that it is on target to complete most of the first phase by the deadline agreed with ORR. A small number of these assessments are not expected to be completed by the deadline and will be monitored on a case-by-case basis.