Schedule 1 - Office of Rail Regulation
Railways and Transport Safety Bill
9:45 am
Mrs Anne McIntosh (Vale of York, Conservative)
I posed some questions to the Minister, some of which he has answered. Their purpose was to find out why the new format is considered to be better. I do not say that we do not agree, but my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale clearly wants the Government to prove that it is an improvement, not merely a reaction to frustration with the regulators and the wrath that that has incurred in the Government.
I fear that the Minister is being economical in describing how far the reform is to go. We were told on 12 June 2002 that further reform could be required if the board of the Office of Rail Regulation failed to establish a constructive relationship with Network Rail. The Secretary of State described the guiding principles under which the Government have conducted their considerations and continued:
''The Government will need to continue to keep the effectiveness of the regime under review as the rail sector develops. The implementation of EU Directives already requires the Government to review the regulatory framework and adjust it in accordance with the Directives as necessary (the implementation of the First Railway Package of Directives is due by March 2003).''—[Official Report, 12 June 2002; Vol. 386, c. 1263W.]
We had the opportunity to set out in schedule 1, for the benefit of Parliament, exactly what the cost would be. We have to justify such things; we cannot give the Treasury a blank cheque. However, we have not progressed, despite a comprehensive debate. The schedule could have gone further, so I register my disappointment and my wish to return to the matter.
Question put and agreed to.
Schedule 1, as amended, agreed to.