Member

The noble Lord, Lord Harper, spoke to Amendments 35 and 36 on fares, so I confirm that it is not the Government’s intention to set limits or guardrails on fares using the directions and guidance powers. Instead, the public service contract between GBR and the Secretary of State is the appropriate legal and practical mechanism to set out fares parameters for GBR. The public service contract will be published, as will GBR’s business plan, where it will set out its plans for fare setting. Directions are, as I said, a tool to be used only in exceptional circumstances where urgent correction is required, and therefore fare setting would not be an appropriate use of those powers.