§ Mr. BestTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the quality of service given by the National Rail Enquiries Service(a) before and (b) after part of the service was outsourced overseas; [167729]
(2) if he will make a statement on the decision of train operating companies to off-shore part of the National Rail Enquiries Service. [168661]
§ Mr. McNultyThe contracting of call centre suppliers to operate the National Rail Enquiry Service is a matter for National Rail Enquiry Services Ltd.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he has held talks with the Strategic Rail Authority about the relocation of the National Rail Enquiry Bureau to India; how many jobs have been lost in the United Kingdom as a result; what the cost has been to the taxpayer of any benefits or grants to staff made redundant from the Bureau; and if he will make a statement; [168092]
(2) what calculations have been made of the sum of money to be returned to his Department by the train operating companies following the relocation of the National Train Enquiry Bureau to India. [168165]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Government do not make subsidy payments to National Rail Enquiry Service Ltd., the company which contracts with call centre suppliers to operate the NRES service. NRES have said that any 891W cost savings would be ploughed back into improving passenger services. With the flexibility of the call centre industry, the Government hope that any redundancies brought about by the recent contract changes would be kept to a minimum. I have held no talks with the Strategic Rail Authority about this matter.