Just before my noble friend sits down, may I add to the point he has made? The noble Lord, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, as did the noble Lord, Lord Tunnicliffe, illustrated one of the points when he talked about what is called abstraction of revenue from other operators against the...

Just before my noble friend sits down, may I add to the point he has made? The noble Lord, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, as did the noble Lord, Lord Tunnicliffe, illustrated one of the points when he talked about what is called abstraction of revenue from other operators against the...

It is one of many.

It is one of many.

It will be exacerbated once all the passenger rail services that were under private operators are owned and operated by GBR. That conflict becomes worse, not better.

It will be exacerbated once all the passenger rail services that were under private operators are owned and operated by GBR. That conflict becomes worse, not better.

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Faulkner for supporting the premise that we need a directing mind for the railway. I hope I will not prolong the previous discussion but will say only this: only GBR, as the principal operator, has the expertise to decide how...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lord Faulkner for supporting the premise that we need a directing mind for the railway. I hope I will not prolong the previous discussion but will say only this: only GBR, as the principal operator, has the expertise to decide how...

Is the Minister aware that the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, of which I have the honour to be president, at its own expense produces a timetable for the route between Paddington, Oxford, Worcester and Hereford? It is produced in co-operation with Great Western Railway, the present operator, and we hope...

Is the Minister aware that the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, of which I have the honour to be president, at its own expense produces a timetable for the route between Paddington, Oxford, Worcester and Hereford? It is produced in co-operation with Great Western Railway, the present operator, and we hope...

I am delighted to hear it. One of the things we need for the future is for as many people as possible to understand the totality of passenger train services on the network, whoever operates them, in order to sustain the maximum number of passengers in order to justify a...

I am delighted to hear it. One of the things we need for the future is for as many people as possible to understand the totality of passenger train services on the network, whoever operates them, in order to sustain the maximum number of passengers in order to justify a...

Before the Minister leaves the subject, I am glad that he is still working on those things that are supposed to be available but are very difficult to find. Does he recognise that, in addition to what can be made available online, it is beneficial, as the noble Lord, Lord...

Before the Minister leaves the subject, I am glad that he is still working on those things that are supposed to be available but are very difficult to find. Does he recognise that, in addition to what can be made available online, it is beneficial, as the noble Lord, Lord...

The noble Lord hits on a very useful topic. We are trying to—and will—remove the massive inconsistency in information between different train operators on the network. I sympathise very much with his view. If you tried to collect published information from all the train operators in Britain, it would come...

The noble Lord hits on a very useful topic. We are trying to—and will—remove the massive inconsistency in information between different train operators on the network. I sympathise very much with his view. If you tried to collect published information from all the train operators in Britain, it would come...

Will the Minister acknowledge that “have regard to” is the lowest form of legal obligation that can be imposed on a public body? Those of us with local government experience have come across language such as, “in general conformity with”, which is higher; “in conformity”, which is even higher; and...

Will the Minister acknowledge that “have regard to” is the lowest form of legal obligation that can be imposed on a public body? Those of us with local government experience have come across language such as, “in general conformity with”, which is higher; “in conformity”, which is even higher; and...

The consideration given to freight and indeed other sorts of services on the network will differ in accordance with time and location. GBR has a pretty serious job to do, but the reason why the freight growth target is enshrined in this legislation more than once is to emphasise the...

The consideration given to freight and indeed other sorts of services on the network will differ in accordance with time and location. GBR has a pretty serious job to do, but the reason why the freight growth target is enshrined in this legislation more than once is to emphasise the...

My Lords, again, I am grateful to the Minister for his responses, in particular, his helpful clarification that the reference at Clause 60(4)(b) to “other railway passenger services” includes heritage charter operators. I associate myself with my noble friend Lord Moylan’s remark that “have regard to” is not a binding...

My Lords, again, I am grateful to the Minister for his responses, in particular, his helpful clarification that the reference at Clause 60(4)(b) to “other railway passenger services” includes heritage charter operators. I associate myself with my noble friend Lord Moylan’s remark that “have regard to” is not a binding...

Moved by

Lord Moylan

240: Clause 64, page 36, line 31, leave out paragraph (b)

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would remove the requirement for GBR to charge in relation to trains which are planned to use GBR infrastructure but do not operate, or do not operate in full.

Moved by

Lord Moylan

240: Clause 64, page 36, line 31, leave out paragraph (b)

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment would remove the requirement for GBR to charge in relation to trains which are planned to use GBR infrastructure but do not operate, or do not operate in full.

My Lords, we are trespassing into what might be slight newer ground, having so far been discussing broadly similar subjects in relation to access. Some of these amendments might appear a little trivial—or, at least, technical—but they are of importance to the freight industry, in particular, and to other users...

My Lords, we are trespassing into what might be slight newer ground, having so far been discussing broadly similar subjects in relation to access. Some of these amendments might appear a little trivial—or, at least, technical—but they are of importance to the freight industry, in particular, and to other users...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, for introducing this group of amendments, some of which are in my name. It is particularly relevant when you look at the way in which freight trains operate, how much they pay and what happens when things go wrong....

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, for introducing this group of amendments, some of which are in my name. It is particularly relevant when you look at the way in which freight trains operate, how much they pay and what happens when things go wrong....

My Lords, I will intervene briefly on this group of amendments, which deals with Clause 64 on the charging scheme. Behind my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments and the concerns we have just heard from the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, is a concern that open access and freight operators might...

My Lords, I will intervene briefly on this group of amendments, which deals with Clause 64 on the charging scheme. Behind my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments and the concerns we have just heard from the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley, is a concern that open access and freight operators might...

My Lords, I have some questions in this section, as my noble friend Lord Young had. Like him, I broadly agree with the thrust of my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments; they are very helpful, and they allow us to have a discussion about Clause 64.

I have two specific questions....

My Lords, I have some questions in this section, as my noble friend Lord Young had. Like him, I broadly agree with the thrust of my noble friend Lord Moylan’s amendments; they are very helpful, and they allow us to have a discussion about Clause 64.

I have two specific questions....

Does the noble Lord, Lord Harper, have a view on how the compensation charges that we discussed earlier would apply to GBR services and the fares and charges that they may or may not be making? Is there an imbalance there or is it something that will be resolved?

Does the noble Lord, Lord Harper, have a view on how the compensation charges that we discussed earlier would apply to GBR services and the fares and charges that they may or may not be making? Is there an imbalance there or is it something that will be resolved?

It is a fair question. People listening to this from outside might ask, given that GBR runs the infrastructure and services, what the point is of one bit of the business charging another bit. However, if you are going to make economically rational decisions, it is quite important that the...

It is a fair question. People listening to this from outside might ask, given that GBR runs the infrastructure and services, what the point is of one bit of the business charging another bit. However, if you are going to make economically rational decisions, it is quite important that the...

My Lords, I agree with the questions that have been asked and look forward to the Minister’s answers. I am here to explore the business impact of the Bill outside passenger services, and I will speak later on open access. Having seen this clause, I am interested in the impact...

My Lords, I agree with the questions that have been asked and look forward to the Minister’s answers. I am here to explore the business impact of the Bill outside passenger services, and I will speak later on open access. Having seen this clause, I am interested in the impact...

My Lords, some important questions have been raised to fully understand access charging, which is a concern to the wider sector. Many of them were set out by the noble Lord, Lord Young

of Cookham. Charges need to be transparent and fair to providers. They need to cover the true...

My Lords, some important questions have been raised to fully understand access charging, which is a concern to the wider sector. Many of them were set out by the noble Lord, Lord Young

of Cookham. Charges need to be transparent and fair to providers. They need to cover the true...