Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson. This is possibly one of the most important parts of this Committee and it is crucial that the Government listen to what the noble Baroness has to say; it is in the interest of people with disabilities, but also in the interests of all of us. If we make the railways more accessible, safe and reliable for people with disabilities, it is better for all of us. To give one practical example of that, last week I lugged a very large suitcase full of books down the steps at Rugby train station because the lift was out. This matters to many people under many different circumstances, so we would all be better off. I also want to pick up on the noble Baroness’s point about co-production, particularly noting that when co-production is being engaged with it is crucial that people receive appropriate remuneration for their effort and their knowledge. Far too often we expect people to volunteer for those roles when they should receive some return for putting in that contribution and sharing their expertise, knowledge and time. Having said that, I want to specifically address Amendment 336, which the noble Baroness, Lady Grey-Thompson, has already addressed. As she said, this ensures that the public sector equality duty applies not just to Great British Railways itself but also the GBR companies. The 2024 Act extended this duty to public sector train operators by adding them to Schedule 19 to the Equality Act 2010. However, the provisions in this Bill appear to leave a gap because the existing reference is to legislation that will no longer exist. The Bill adds Great British Railways to the schedule but does not explicitly include GBR companies. That matters because the new rail structure could involve different companies carrying out important functions, from operating train services to potentially managing ticket retailing and functions currently undertaken by the Rail Delivery Group. Quality protection should not depend on which part of the new structure is delivering the service. By explicitly including GBR companies, this amendment would provide clarity and legal certainty, ensuring that the public sector equality duty continues to apply across the new rail system. I hope the Minister will agree that this is a necessary clarification to preserve the existing protections and ensure consistency as Great British Railways takes shape.