Rail Minister Huw Merriman questioned by Transport Committee
The Minister, appearing for the first time since leaving the Committee he previously chaired, may be asked about the mandate the DfT has given train operators in their negotiations with trade unions. He may also to be asked to respond to claims that the Government has interfered with negotiations by insisting on changes to terms and conditions as a trade-off for wage increases.
Meeting details
The cross-party Committee may ask Merriman for his views on whether the proposed minimum-service legislation could lead to more strikes and industrial unrest.
The latest quarterly figures from the Office for Road and Rail (ORR) covering July to September found that just 38.8% of Avanti West Coast trains were on time. The figure for TransPennine Express was 55.8%, and Northern's punctuality was 62.0%. The national figure was 66.7% for trains running on time overall.
Merriman is likely to be asked to reflect on the poor performance of these operators, and the outcomes of new timetables that were introduced last month.
He may also be about the future of Avanti West Coast’s contract to run services. The firm was granted an extension until 1April.
Other topics MPs could ask the Minister to update them on include progress with building HS2 and on plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail, and on the future of longer-term reform in the industry through Great British Railways and the 2021 Plan for Rail.