You asked about progress on two previous recommendations by the Committee, which were:
1. The recommendation that for future franchises DfT should impose clear obligations on operators to avoid overcrowding and to bear the cost of meeting that obligation themselves; and
2. The recommendation that DfT should provide transparent information on how many new passenger places it is delivering, on which trains, and at what cost to taxpayers and farepayers.
A Treasury Minute setting out the status of these recommendations was published in January 2013. The relevant section is reproduced below and this remains the position except in respect of the first recommendation, where as the Committee will be aware the Brown Review and the Department's franchising programme have now been published. In addition, the Department is developing a new approach to quality for future franchise competitions, and will include appropriate measures in each franchise procurement to deliver capacity growth to meet the needs of rail passengers.