I am pleased to inform the House that today the government has laid an Amendment to the Railways Bill to ensure that discounts for veterans and service personnel are protected in law. Veterans and service personnel currently benefit from railcards that provide 1/3 off most rail fares, but until today have had no statutory protection for this discount. It is vital that those who give so much for our country have their service and sacrifice recognised, and that is exactly what we are doing by safeguarding these discounts in legislation.

Not only does this give reassurance to the armed forces community and their families that the provision of these discounts will continue, it also underlines our commitment to place passengers firmly back at heart of our railways through the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).

This government has been clear that for too long our railways have been run in the interests of profit not passengers. That is why we are setting up GBR to be a new organisation, with a new culture and mindset from the very beginning. GBR will place a relentless focus on the passenger experience by delivering the reliable, affordable and high-quality services that passengers want and deserve. No community will be left out of GBR’s railway – there are already statutory protections for discounts for young, elderly, and disabled people, and today we are ensuring that both those serving and those who have served our country are also prioritised for this protection.

By placing these discounts on a statutory footing, we are ensuring that future generations of veterans and service personnel can continue to access these benefits with confidence and certainty. It also builds on our recent expansion of free rail travel for a bereaved military family member attending Remembrance events, ensuring that travel costs are not a barrier to paying tribute to loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Taken together, these measures demonstrate our determination to recognise the contribution of the armed forces community through meaningful action. Ultimately, this amendment ensures that veterans and service personnel cannot be forgotten and that their service to this country will continue to be recognised across our railways for years to come.