Transport Committee holds a session on draft Rail Reform Bill with the Rail Minister
The Government’s draft Bill, published in February, proposes legislation needed to deliver reforms included in the Government’s Plan for Rail. This includes giving an Integrated Rail Body (IRB) – to be known as Great British Railways – new legal powers to manage and oversee the country’s rail infrastructure and franchising of services to train operating companies.
Meeting details
Among the witnesses for the final session will be Rail Minister Huw Merriman; Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the Great British Railways Transition Team; and Lord Hendy, Chief Executive of Network Rail. Beforehand, Fiona Hyslop MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, will give evidence on the Scottish Government’s position on the draft Bill.
Ms Hyslop will be asked to expand on their submission to the inquiry that the IRB would be an “unnecessary and inefficient complication” for the Scottish Government, and what changes to the draft Bill they would like to see.
Questions to Lord Hendy and Andrew Haines will cover how future legislation could avoid Great British Railways becoming a duplicate of Network Rail, whether the IRB will have sufficient independence from the Government, and about the Bill’s proposals for the Office of Rail and Road to monitor the IRB’s work.
Minister Merriman will also be quizzed on provisions in the draft Bill which would enable the Secretary of State to modify the IRB’s licence. He will also be asked to address the Scottish and Welsh Governments’ criticisms of how Great British Railways powers would interact with their devolved powers. There may also be questions based on evidence received throughout the inquiry.
Full witness details are available here.