QUALITY OF THE NATIONAL RAIL ENQUIRY SERVICE

Early day motion 613, tabled 11 February 2004 by Harry Barnes (Labour). Signed by 40 members.

That this House agrees with the Communication Workers' Union that the decision taken by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to force their suppliers to move offshore a considerable part of the National Rail Enquiry Service (NRES) is a major political disaster in the making, which will inevitably lead to a catastrophic and irreversible decline in the quality of NRES service; shares the Union's fears that the ClientLogic site in Derby, with 700 jobs, is particularly vulnerable to major redundancies as ClientLogic is committed to sending 50 per cent. of their NRES work to a call centre in Bangalore and a significant majority of staff at the Derby site is employed on NRES work; further shares the Union's view that the political and economic fall-out in Derbyshire would be considerable; recognises that the Union has a legitimate trade union interest in this issue but that it also raises questions for the public as a whole, because anecdotal evidence provided to the Union appears to show that the trials being conducted by ClientLogic in Bangalore show significant shortcomings in the service and that such moves would repeat the problems associated with the directory services liberalisation fiasco with fast-declining levels of customer service quality as well as public and press condemnation; urges ClientLogic to make its findings of these trials available to all interested parties; including honourable Members; and further urges ATOC to urgently reconsider its decision to force its suppliers to send half of NRES calls to India.

Signatures by party: Labour 35, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Liberal Democrat 1.