ASSOCIATION OF TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES AND OUTSOURCING JOBS TO INDIA

That this House notes that National Rail Enquiries Service (NRES), which is regulated by the Department for Transport, set a target to answer 93 per cent. of calls received during a financial year; congratulates its staff for successfully answering 94.4 per cent. of calls in 2008-09; further congratulates NRES staff on their extensive knowledge of the national rail network and the helpful advice they give to the travelling public; is therefore appalled at reports that the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) intends to outsource the work of NRES to Mumbai; believes that such a step will result in a loss of jobs and a reduction in the quality of service provided to passengers; further notes that ATOC's members include transport companies such as National Express, Virgin, Go-Ahead, First Group and Stagecoach which continue to make substantial profits and receive huge amounts of Government subsidy and that the Government is in effect subsidising jobs losses; and therefore calls on the Government to meet ATOC at the earliest possible time in order to reverse its decision and protect jobs and the excellent quality of service provided by NRES.