Written question asked by Lord Redwood (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 May 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 24 May 2002. It was answered by Stephen Byers (Labour) on Friday, 24 May 2002 on behalf of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Dept for Transport Local Government and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many engineers and trained safety staff have left Railtrack Plc in the last seven months. - Includes figures.

Answer: Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many engineers and trained safety staff have left Railtrack Plc in the last seven months. [58018] Mr. Byers: Railtrack has told the Department that they continue to attract good numbers of high quality candidates for vacancies at all levels of the organisation. They are doubling their graduate intake from 35 to 70 and are particularly pleased with the number and strength of the applications received. Since 8 October Railtrack have recruited 69 qualified engineers. They are on course to achieve the target of 1,000 engineers in post within 18 months. Overall turnover rates, at some 10 per cent remain steady, with engineers lower at 6 per cent.

Secondary information