HL Deb 21 June 2004 vol 662 cc1012-3

3.3 p.m.

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will require the Strategic Rail Authority to comply with Cabinet Office guidelines on consultation on the new East Coast Main Line franchise.

Lord Davies of Oldham

My Lords, the stakeholder consultation document was issued on 7 May to statutory consultees in accordance with the Railways Act. The SRA has exercised its discretion to reduce the consultation process timetables. It is not a precedent for any future consultations. A wider-based consultation day was held earlier this month. There will be another opportunity for public input on key strategic issues affecting this route and its operators when the East Coast Main Line strategy is consulted upon later this year.

Lord Berkeley

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that Answer. Is he aware that the consultation document he referred to was confidential to those who received it? The Rail Passengers Council, which of course is the representative body of the travelling public, has referred to the, extraordinary position whereby we cannot contact our key stakeholders, which are the travelling public", to get their reaction. Does my noble friend really think that this is the right way to go about consulting on a very major passenger service up the East Coast Main Line? Is it not extraordinary that the SRA will issue its strategy after it has apparently let the franchise? What is the hurry? Why cannot it start a 12-week public consultation now?

Lord Davies of Oldham

My Lords, this is a very important franchise. We are in the last year of the service by the existing franchisee, so there are time constraints. The issue has been one of accelerating the process but, as I indicated to my noble friend, this is not a precedent for future consultations. There are in place future opportunities for full consultation on this important franchise. I am pleased to report to the House that there are four bidders, each of which has excellent credentials, including the present franchisee.

Baroness Scott of Needham Market

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the current franchising arrangements have lost the confidence of both the industry and the passengers, who see the whole process characterised by lack of transparency and by delay? That is due, in part at least, to the activities of the Office of Fair Trading. Its most recent intervention has been to investigate the new Greater Anglia franchise, months after the franchise was awarded, and six weeks after Alistair Darling launched the new service from Liverpool Street?

Lord Davies of Oldham

My Lords, the noble Baroness is of course referring to another franchise, not the one which is the subject of the Question. I should like to reassure her that the issue with regard to the arrangements for the franchise in the Question was a matter of urgency and speed. The noble Baroness rightly indicated that there have been some concerns about delay. I take on board her point about the franchise to which she referred, but she will know that arrangements are already in hand on that front.

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