To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the United Kingdom economy of train delays between London and Hastings.[HL5781]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the United Kingdom economy of train delays between London and Hastings.[HL5781]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage an investigation by Network Rail of the flood-related faults on the London to Hastings line; and what work they expect will be done to reduce the risk of damage in the future.[HL5783]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage an investigation by Network Rail of the flood-related faults on the London to Hastings line; and what work they expect will be done to reduce the risk of damage in the future.[HL5783]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the remaining time before the rail track between Battle and Robertsbridge is repaired.[HL5782]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the remaining time before the rail track between Battle and Robertsbridge is repaired.[HL5782]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of rail season ticket holders who have taken rail replacement buses at some point in their journey between Hastings and London in 2014.[HL5780]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of rail season ticket holders who have taken rail replacement buses at some point in their journey between Hastings and London in 2014.[HL5780]

My right hon. Friend is right to describe the strength of feeling of his constituents about those services. His constituents know how assiduous he is in holding those responsible to account. I am delighted that he has come to support us today. When I asked Southeastern about the performance of...

My right hon. Friend is right to describe the strength of feeling of his constituents about those services. His constituents know how assiduous he is in holding those responsible to account. I am delighted that he has come to support us today. When I asked Southeastern about the performance of...

May I say what a pleasure it is, Sir Nicholas, to serve under your chairmanship? I congratulate the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) on securing this debate on rail services in west Kent. The timetable change in December 2009 was the biggest change for 50 years in Kent....

May I say what a pleasure it is, Sir Nicholas, to serve under your chairmanship? I congratulate the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark) on securing this debate on rail services in west Kent. The timetable change in December 2009 was the biggest change for 50 years in Kent....

I am delighted, Sir Nicholas, that you share my love of my constituency. I should declare an interest, in that I am a regular and frequent user of the Hastings line, between Tunbridge Wells and London, and I want to bring the attention of the House to its performance. I...

I am delighted, Sir Nicholas, that you share my love of my constituency. I should declare an interest, in that I am a regular and frequent user of the Hastings line, between Tunbridge Wells and London, and I want to bring the attention of the House to its performance. I...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way. Is he aware that my constituents in west Kent have been sending me similar communications? Is he also aware that those of my constituents who use the Maidstone East line have in addition suffered the axing, from last December, of...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way. Is he aware that my constituents in west Kent have been sending me similar communications? Is he also aware that those of my constituents who use the Maidstone East line have in addition suffered the axing, from last December, of...

The Minister obviously does not necessarily know the answer to this, but I can assure him that the data exist. Given that that is the case, will he require the figures to be given to me?

The Minister obviously does not necessarily know the answer to this, but I can assure him that the data exist. Given that that is the case, will he require the figures to be given to me?

Although I am aware that the data exist and that I might be able to have sight of them, I am not sure whether the train operating company is prepared to put such information in the public domain. Let me take away the matter for consideration.

Although I am aware that the data exist and that I might be able to have sight of them, I am not sure whether the train operating company is prepared to put such information in the public domain. Let me take away the matter for consideration.

I was going to come to the general question of monitoring performance by train operating companies and the way in which we consider the aggregate performance, but the hon. Gentleman wants to intervene again.

I was going to come to the general question of monitoring performance by train operating companies and the way in which we consider the aggregate performance, but the hon. Gentleman wants to intervene again.

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

No, not at this point. I am quite sympathetic to the hon. Gentleman's objectives, but let me draw his attention to the fact that the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) frequently tells the Government not to interfere and micro-manage train operating company regulation so much. I therefore fear...

No, not at this point. I am quite sympathetic to the hon. Gentleman's objectives, but let me draw his attention to the fact that the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) frequently tells the Government not to interfere and micro-manage train operating company regulation so much. I therefore fear...

Let me try to address the generic point at this time.

Let me try to address the generic point at this time.

I have to look at what data are available from Southeastern that can be put into the public domain.

I have to look at what data are available from Southeastern that can be put into the public domain.

Before the House rises for Easter, will the Minister agree to give me the figures for the performance of the Hastings line during that period of underperformance?

Before the House rises for Easter, will the Minister agree to give me the figures for the performance of the Hastings line during that period of underperformance?

Not today, no, but we have discussed that already. In conclusion, although I regret the performance that passengers in west Kent have experienced over the winter months, problems have been identified and solutions developed. I believe that we can look forward to performance improvements being delivered from now until the...

Not today, no, but we have discussed that already. In conclusion, although I regret the performance that passengers in west Kent have experienced over the winter months, problems have been identified and solutions developed. I believe that we can look forward to performance improvements being delivered from now until the...

I am grateful for the Minister's sympathy, and I hope that he will translate it into action. Can he think of any reason why members of the public should not be given the right to see the data on the performance of their train line that we all accept exist?

I am grateful for the Minister's sympathy, and I hope that he will translate it into action. Can he think of any reason why members of the public should not be given the right to see the data on the performance of their train line that we all accept exist?

Does the Minister have the figures for the Hastings line for that period?

Does the Minister have the figures for the Hastings line for that period?

I do not know whether there are commercial sensitivities around the data, but I will try to action my sympathies into something concrete for the hon. Gentleman to look at. As I was saying, Network Rail, Southeastern and South West Trains are considering how to improve the robustness of the...

I do not know whether there are commercial sensitivities around the data, but I will try to action my sympathies into something concrete for the hon. Gentleman to look at. As I was saying, Network Rail, Southeastern and South West Trains are considering how to improve the robustness of the...