To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment of the financial performance of First Group’s existing rail franchises did his Department undertake before the announcement on 14 August 2019 of the award of the West Coast Partnership franchise to a consortium including First Group.

First Trenitalia’s bid was evaluated against the requirements and instructions set out in the Invitation to Tender for the competition. Specific financial standing tests were separately carried out on the guarantor of the First Trenitalia bid at two specific points during the competition. The first round of tests took place at Expression of Interest Stage in Spring 2017 and were repeated just prior to award of the West Coast Partnership in August 2019.

The bidder passed these tests. Details of the tests can be obtained at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/578211/west-coast-partnership-franchise-competition-expression-of-interest-document.pdf