Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Emergency Funding Agreement: London

Thursday 17 September 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department regularly engages with Transport for London and the Mayor of London, including discussions on the impact of covid-19.
  • The Government agreed a 1.6 billion funding package for Transport for London in May 2020.
  • Transport for London faced a projected deficit of 220 million in the year before the pandemic and 422 million the year before that.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Feryal Clark Lab Enfield North
Transport
Context

The question arises from the expiration of the emergency funding agreement on 17 October 2020, concerning discussions with Transport for London and the Mayor of London.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) Transport for London on the expiration of the emergency funding agreement on 17 October 2020.

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The Department regularly engages with Transport for London and the Mayor, including in relation to understanding the impact of covid-19.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific discussions on the expiration of emergency funding agreement

How: General Statement About Engagement

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Q2 Feryal Clark Lab Enfield North
Transport
Context

Private train operating companies received emergency funding in March, while Transport for London was granted similar support only in May. This question seeks clarification on the delay and assurance of urgent additional support.

Question

Private train operating companies were told on 23 March, just as lockdown began, that the Government would take on all their revenue and cost risks and support them through the pandemic. By contrast, Transport for London was not granted this emergency funding deal until 14 May. Will the Minister explain why that is and reassure Londoners that the additional emergency support that TfL needs will be confirmed as a matter of urgency, rather than being left until the eleventh hour like last time?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The Government agreed a £1.6 billion funding package in May. But let us be clear that Transport for London's finances were in trouble well before covid-19, with a projected deficit of £220 million last year and £422 million the year before. Many of the financial problems can be directly traced to poor decision making by the current Mayor of London.

Not addressed: Explanation regarding delay in funding and urgent confirmation of additional support

How: Redirecting Blame On Previous Decisions, Highlighting Pre-Existing Financial Issues

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