Vol. 756 Tuesday No. 47 28 October 2014 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDER OF BUSINESS Introductions: Baroness Evans of Bowes Park and Lord Cashman..........................1059 Questions Railways: East Coast Rail Franchise.........................................................................1059 Health: Mental Health................................................................................................1062 Unemployment: Young People ...................................................................................1064 Parliament Square: Occupy Protests ..........................................................................1066 Draft Protection of Charities Bill Motion to Agree ..........................................................................................................1068 Infrastructure Bill [HL] Order of Consideration Motion...................................................................................1069 Serious Crime Bill [HL] Report (2nd Day) .......................................................................................................1069 Music Education Question for Short Debate ..........................................................................................1171 Grand Committee Deregulation Bill Committee (2nd Day) ...........................................................................................GC 369 Written Statements ....................................................................................................WS 105 Written Answers .........................................................................................................WA 139 £4·00 Lords wishing to be supplied with these Daily Reports should give notice to this effect to the Printed Paper Office. 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It has done an excellent job; I would not wish to understate that. It is important that the Prayers—read by the Lord Bishop of Lichfield. Government have the capacity to step in when something happens within a franchise that makes that necessary. Now, however, we need very significant new investment; Introduction: Baroness Evans of Bowes there needs to be a long-term partner taking this franchise forward, so it is right to go into the franchising Park process. I would be glad to address questions on whether we should have our own franchising entity, but I do 2.38 pm not want to take too long on a single answer. Natalie Jessica Evans, having been created Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, of Bowes Park in the London Lord Bradshaw (LD): My Lords, will the Minister Borough of Haringey, was introduced and took the oath, think about the fact that this franchise has failed twice supported by Lord Cavendish of Furness and Baroness and that the present competition is very uncertain Neville-Rolfe, and signed an undertaking to abide by the because of the threat of open access operation to Code of Conduct. whomever the franchise is let? If any of the franchise bidders bid less than what the taxpayer gets from Directly Operated Railways, will the Government allow Introduction: Lord Cashman the latter organisation to continue to run the railway? 2.45 pm Baroness Kramer: My Lords, the franchise process is in train. The award will come in February, so I Michael Maurice Cashman, Esquire, CBE, having been obviously cannot comment on the competitors’ offers created Baron Cashman, of Limehouse in the London at this time. That would be entirely improper. It is Borough of Tower Hamlets, was introduced and made certainly true that DOR returned profits to the the solemn affirmation, supported by Baroness Turner Government—not to the department. It is also important of Camden and Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead, and to understand that it has not had the demands that are signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. placed on many franchises in the level of investment required. We will have new equipment coming on to Railways: East Coast Rail Franchise the line and new rolling stock, too. That will mean Question significant new burdens and we have many greater requirements now in terms of customer service so 2.50 pm there is a need for significant investment. That is why a new player needs to come in at this time. It is obviously Asked by Baroness Quin open to any Government to own companies and use To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions them in various ways. This country used to have an they have had with the rail unions regarding the airports industry and ran steel mills and car companies. future of the east coast rail franchise. However, we have found that the franchising system has offered us excellence. Train-operating companies The Minister of State, Department for Transport have delivered very good service at very good prices. (Baroness Kramer) (LD): My Lords, levels of engagement We have seen the response to that from passengers with the rail unions have increased since the launch of who have doubled in number in the past 20 years. the rail franchising programme in March 2013. On the intercity east coast franchise competition, this engagement Lord Hughes of Woodside (Lab): Can the Minister has included a number of face-to-face meetings at say why the company currently running the franchise official and ministerial level and correspondence covering is not being given the opportunity to bid or to test most aspects of the competition. itself against the conditions that the Governments are considering? Baroness Quin (Lab): My Lords, while I am glad that such meetings have taken place, does the Minister Baroness Kramer: As I said, the company currently appreciate that many of us who use the east coast rail operating this is a government entity. It was designed service regularly are dismayed that the Government as a company that could step in when something went have refused to allow the current publicly owned wrong. That remains important within the arsenal of operator—which has greatly improved the service, to our tools. There is a very different set of skills when the benefit of both passengers and UK taxpayers one is looking at significant new investment and growth. alike—even to bid for the franchise and to be able to This is the point that we have reached with this franchise, continue to run a good service? Does it not seem odd so it is very important that the opportunity is, as I say, that the Government allow foreign state-owned enterprises open for the train operating companies to bid on this to run our rail services in part, yet refuse to allow a and offer a high-quality service. We will be looking for successful home-grown public enterprise to do so? a very effective winning bidder. 1061 Railways: East Coast Rail Franchise[LORDS] Health: Mental Health 1062 Lord Cormack (Con): Does my noble friend Health: Mental Health acknowledge that there are deficiencies in the present Question service? Does she know, for instance, that while it is possible to have a day in London from Lincoln using direct trains, one cannot do the reverse? As we have 2.59 pm one of the most important years in Lincoln’s history Asked by Lord Dubs coming up next year—2015, the anniversary of Magna