MPs call for Bombardier deal review

DERBY train maker Bombardier has been given fresh hope in the £1.4bn Thameslink contract row after MPs called for a review of the deal.

The House of Commons transport committee released a report which called for an urgent independent financial review of the deal which saw the government award the contract to German firm Siemens.

The MPs want ministers to delay signing up German firm Siemens until the spending watchdog investigates the process.

Bombardier has already had to make 1,400 redundancies out of its 3,000-strong workforce following the decision to make Siemens the “preferred bidder”.

The Government claimed the German bid was value for money for taxpayers. But it has refused to divulge the figures, claiming “commercial confidentiality”.

The deal was due to be signed before the end of the year, but has been put back to the New Year with no specified date.