To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of an assumption of an increase in unregulated rail fares of RPI plus one per cent. in each franchise contract (a) in January 2010 and (b) at the renewal date of each franchise. (279710)

[holding answer 16 June 2009]: The levels of unregulated fares are a commercial matter for individual train operators. For business planning purposes’ operators may make assumptions of any projected changes to unregulated fares, but this is a matter for the operator concerned.