In the dark on franchising costs

摘要

Asked by Labour MP Jeremy Cor-byn for details of the costs incurred by DfT and its agencies 'in the franchising and tendering of passenger rail services since 1994', Transport Minister Simon Burns replied in a written answer given to the House of Commons on November 22 that the department had not been able to capture 'precise historic costs' because permanent staff members had been seconded to work on each competition and had then returned to other duties following its completion.