Extract from Commons consideration of the Draft Strikes (Minimum Service Levels: Passenger Railway Services) Regulations 2023 - Nov 27

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Huw Merriman):...There are interesting parallels. When I talk about train operators, I also mean the operators of last resort: Southeastern, the east coast main line and Transpennine Express. They are under the same control that he referenced the Executive in Scotland having. We, as the Government, will treat those with the exact same autonomy, and will not be autocratic; we will not tell them what they must and must not do. There is talk of this legislation being controlling, but we are demonstrating that we are not being controlling, whereas the hon. Gentleman is demonstrating that he would perhaps intervene, which is obviously a policy matter for him...

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