Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris agreed to consult with trade unions and regulators when questioned by Easington MP Grahame Morris this morning over planned changes to Network Rail.

Mr Morris explained that Network Rail’s recent proposals – which could involve the loss of thousands of rail jobs and halve the frequency of safety-critical planned maintenance work – have alarmed trade unions. He said, “We certainly don’t want to see any return to the cost-cutting and safety failures under Railtrack.”

When asked to assure the House that safety would not be compromised and any changes agreed with the trade unions, Minister Heaton-Harris agreed.