4th Special Report - Wales and Borders rail franchise: Government Response to the Committee's Third Report of Session 2016-17

This is the government's response, published 31 March 2017.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government's response agrees with the recommendations on transfer of franchising powers, EU funding updates, English passenger complaints and cross-border services, disagrees on rail infrastructure and rolling stock, and refers franchise length to the Welsh Government.

• On transfer of franchising powers, it agrees and expects to have completed all necessary steps "in good time" for an Order to come into force "in the autumn"; it will notify the Committee when the draft Order is laid.
• On complaints by English customers, it agrees; the Department is developing a formal joint working agreement and aims to include a proposal in line with the recommendation for a protocol for MPs in English constituencies.
• On rail infrastructure, it disagrees, stating there was "no political consensus to take it forward" in the St David's Day process, and that it "does not intend to revisit the issue".
• On rolling stock, it disagrees, saying it is for bidders to propose solutions and the Department "does not have the power to direct the rolling stock companies" to give "first refusal", so cannot provide assurance on that.

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