Good policy is made through involving stakeholders. We asked about the Department’s engagement with the workforce and how it understands the practical realities and challenges facing those responsible for implementing policy on the ground. The Department told us that when its officials supported the Williams Review, they consulted very widely with trade unions and workers across the railway, to make sure there was a good understanding of perspectives. It said that, as it has taken forward ref...

Good policy is made through involving stakeholders. We asked about the Department’s engagement with the workforce and how it understands the practical realities and challenges facing those responsible for implementing policy on the ground. The Department told us that when its officials supported the Williams Review, they consulted very widely with trade unions and workers across the railway, to make sure there was a good understanding of perspectives. It said that, as it has taken forward reforms, it has tried to make sure it has done the same in specific areas. But we heard that the Department has not routinely engaged with rail unions at of Type: conclusion | Number: 23 | Response status: not_addressed Government response: 6. PAC conclusion: The Department has failed to engage with the workforce to successfully deliver its reform ambitions. 6. PAC recommendation: The Department should meaningfully engage with the workforce in order to implement its reforms successfully. In its Trea