Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many full-time equivalent (1) civil servants, and (2) consultants, are employed to monitor train usage and estimate future train service patterns.

A range of teams from across DfT Rail Strategy and Services Group have a role in understanding current and future trends in both passenger and freight train usage, among other responsibilities. This includes policy teams, contract holders, statisticians and analysts. The Department does not hold information on the full-time equivalent resource that this work represents compared to teams' wider duties.

Consultants are used by the Department on a project by project basis. This support is procured for services delivered and the Department does not hold information on the number of full-time equivalents engaged by consultancies to provide these services.