Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make information available so that, when Network Rail responds to Questions for Written Answer, the response is included in the Written Answer in the Official Report, as is the practice with questions answered by the Highways Agency. [HL484]
§ Lord Davies of OldhamNetwork Rail is a private sector company, not a government agency, and the practices for questions answered by government agencies are not applicable.
Arrangements for answering written Paliamentary Questions on Network Rail were agreed between the Government and the company earlier this year as part of a Cabinet Office review of administrative burdens on the rail industry.
Network Rail has agreed to provide information for inclusion in replies to written Parliamentary Questions where the information requested is readily available and can be provided within the relevant deadline. Where Questions relate to operational matters and the information is not readily available, replies will explain that the issue is an operational matter for Network Rail and that Network Rail will directly contact the noble Lord concerned. The Government have agreed with Network Rail that it would not be appropriate for copies of letters from a private sector company to be published in the Official Report.