Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 20 April (HL Deb col 504) and the remarks by Baroness Blake of Leeds on 28 April (HL Deb col 1063), whether the previous Network Rail pay settlement did or did not include productivity incentives.

In January this year Network Rail reached a pay settlement with its general grades staff at 3.8% along with delivery of efficiency improvements.

These efficiency improvements relate to changes in working practices and modernisation initiatives agreed between Network Rail and the trade unions to support a more sustainable and reliable railway.

The Government supports pay settlements which are fair, affordable and deliver value for taxpayers and farepayers