Member

Listening to this debate, it has been clear that there is cross-party support from Conservative, Labour, Cross-Bench and Liberal Democrat Peers about this issue, and an extraordinary amount of unanimity. I finish with a point that I hope is helpful to the Minister. As my noble friend Lady Harding said in her comprehensive introduction, a range of solutions is provided in these amendments. I have set out the one that I think is best—operational separation—but apart from that, there is a range of ways of delivering the competition, the enforcement and the appeal mechanisms. We are not wedded to a particular solution, but I think there is common agreement that the Bill as drafted will not guarantee and deliver a competitive landscape and a level playing field for the private sector operators, which, as my noble friend Lord Holmes said, have invested a significant amount of money, have innovated and have delivered better services to passengers.