Response to interpellation 2024/25:86 on the state's ownership governance of SJ AB
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the state's ownership management of SJ and the decommissioning of night trains to northern Sweden. M argues that SJ should conduct its operations on commercial grounds and that the government does not micro-manage individual departures. M emphasizes that SJ must meet return requirements and that it is the company's responsibility to assess profitability 1 2. M claims that the government prioritizes the maintenance debt on the railway 2. S criticizes that SJ has decommissioned night trains despite high demand and argues that the government does not prioritize the railway 3 4. S believes that the state does not take its responsibility when regions incur higher costs 4. S wants the government to make decisions regarding the Norrbotniabanan 5.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)
Mr. Speaker! Isak From has asked me two questions: firstly, how I ensure that the state governs SJ so that SJ fulfills the transport policy goals and thereby contributes to a long-term sustainable transport supply throughout the country, and secondly, how I ensure that the decommissioning of the night trains to northern Sweden does not violate the state's ownership policy and corporate governance model.
The Riksdag has decided that SJ shall conduct its operations on commercial grounds. The company's business purpose is to provide passenger transport and, within the framework of commerciality, contribute to fulfilling the transport policy goals. Monitoring of SJ's operations and development takes place continuously, among other things through recurring owner dialogues. Companies with state ownership shall, according to the state's ownership policy, act in such a way that they enjoy public trust.
It is the company's board and management that are responsible for the ongoing management of the company's operational activities. The board is responsible for ensuring that SJ is managed in an exemplary manner within the framework of the legislation, the company's articles of association, and the state's ownership policy. I assume that this is being followed.
SJ operates extensive rail traffic in Sweden with a large geographical spread and thus contributes through its operations to fulfilling the transport policy goals. The company operates two types of traffic: commercial traffic and procured traffic. The latter is procured in competition by regional public transport authorities or Trafikverket, which are operated on commercial grounds. No specific mandate beyond what is stated in the articles of association exists.
As a consequence of the application of the state's corporate governance model, the government shall not micro-manage which individual departures SJ can offer. That is a matter for the company. That SJ is phasing out the train line that the interpellator refers to does not violate the state's ownership policy or corporate governance model.
Isak From (S)
Mr. Speaker! Many want to travel on the way from the West Coast to the future. In January, I submitted an interpellation to the Minister for Finance regarding the train chaos and that SJ cancelled so many trains. It was answered on February 27. Perhaps it did have some effect that the Minister for Finance became involved, because now Statens järnvägar - SJ - announces that they have invested in snow removal facilities. We may soon find out if this reduces the train chaos this winter, as snow has been announced in many parts of the country.
I wrote this interpellation based on the fact that SJ made the decision to discontinue the night train traffic from Gothenburg to Åre and upper Norrland, just as the Minister for Finance reported. It has been done based on the fact that one has somehow ended up in a worldview where everything revolves around Stockholm and everything must pass through Stockholm.
But, Mr. Speaker, it is not necessary at all. Previously, the night train traffic went through Central Sweden, past Avesta Krylbo and up onto the Norra stambanan without even passing Stockholm. I live in Norsjö. One could travel from my home - that is, from Bastuträsk, which is closest to Skellefteå - to Gothenburg in twelve and a half hours. It worked perfectly well to commute for work in that way. One boarded the train at home on Sunday evening, and one woke up on Monday morning and could go to work. One could board the train in Gothenburg on Thursday evening and wake up at home on Friday morning.
Commuting to work is not everything. The needs of the business sector, and especially the tourism industry, for a functioning rail traffic are perhaps much greater. The Minister for Finance surely knows that the tourism industry in Kiruna and the northern mining fields alone generates approximately 1 billion per year. Very many people want to take the train to visit the area. Regardless of whether people want to hike, ski in Riksgränsen, or do something else, it is about a relatively large tourism industry that has a high demand for functioning rail traffic. There are many parts here, for example a functioning ore railway, but the transport policy goals should nevertheless include that one can take the train from the west coast to the future.
Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)
Mr. Speaker! I think it is refreshing with a little advertising for Västerbotten and the northern parts. Isak From and I have at least two things in common: We have roots in Västerbotten, and we have commuted a lot by train.
I want to say that the interpellator Isak From is persistent and tenacious. We have spoken about SJ and governance models before. I am participating in this debate as responsible for the state-owned companies and can remind of two things.
One is that we have an unregulated market where SJ is a company that operates in competition with others and on the same terms as them. I believe the Social Democrats share many other parties' assessment of this. You have also not come forward with proposals to change that. It also means that one must be able to live up to the return requirements that have been set in the Riksdag for the various companies. One must have a certain profitability to be able to invest. One should, of course, not compete with other companies in an unfair way; there are other companies on this market. This is a company where I and the others in the government do not sit in the boardroom to decide exactly which lines should be taken.
The second thing, which I believe Isak From is well aware of, is that there is a possibility for Trafikverket to procure and ensure night trains to Norrland in other ways. So far, I have understood that this has not been done, but there are conditions for Trafikverket to carry out a procurement of night train traffic.
I understand what Isak From points out: that it affects many people that the intention now is that this line shall not continue. It is also why there are other ways to go. We will have to return to how that matter will turn out. That SJ, which is a company in an unregulated market and has return requirements that we have decided upon here, sees that this is not profitable is something that one must accept. I accept it, but I understand that it has created frustration. Then we will have to see if there are others who will come in or if Trafikverket chooses to conduct a procurement.
Isak From (S)
Mr. Speaker! We can return to the procurement issues.
The Minister for Finance mentions the transport policy goals in his answer to the interpellation. When one reads the recently submitted infrastructure bill, which points out the direction for the government's policy, it seems to be the case that 5 percent is to go to the maintenance of the severely neglected railway. Otherwise, there is a strong focus on road and aviation, and there is nothing wrong with that. But we can observe that there is very little focus on the railway. That may play a role in this part.
Then one can return to the Minister for Finance's answer regarding economic sustainability. It is clear that certain questions are raised when it turns out that there have largely always been fully booked trains and high demand, but that profitability is still not achieved. In that case, perhaps something else is needed.
Mr. Speaker! At the same time as SJ chooses not to run night trains from Gothenburg, it emerges that the government is dumping costs onto the regions. With the so-called cooperation agreements, the regions have joined forces with Trafikverket, which is the state's extended arm. But Norrtåg, Samverkande inland, Tåg i Bergslagen, "Stångåtågen", the trains to Trondheim, the buses in Dalarna and the air taxis now face increased costs. This became a bit difficult for Trafikverket, so an agreement has been reached with the regions to cover some of these costs, in any case next year, though not for Norrtåg.
The regions of Jämtland, Västernorrland, Västerbotten, and Norrbotten expected, based on the handshake that was made, that the state would step in and take its share of the traffic with approximately 98 million kronor. Now, one stands there with increased costs, and the state is not taking its responsibility. More than 40 million still remains. This is happening at the same time. An increased burden is therefore being placed on the regions to operate the rail traffic for which they have signed agreements and have a handshake with Trafikverket, the state's extended arm. At the same time, SJ is cancelling the night trains from Gothenburg. Night trains will still run from Stockholm upwards, but the night trains from Gothenburg to Åre, Duved, and further to Trondheim, as well as up into upper Norrland to Malmfälten and Riksgränsen, are chosen to be paused, despite the fact that they are largely fully booked and demand is very high. Then there is something wrong in the system. In any case, there is something wrong in the system insofar as the government, overall, does not prioritize the railway.
Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)
Mr. Speaker! That is exactly what we are doing. We are prioritizing the maintenance debt on both railway and road. The infrastructure bill that we have submitted is primarily aimed at being able to pay off the entire maintenance debt that has grown over many years. It is a matter of allocating so much money to the railway that one can carry this out. One can allocate more money, but the challenge is that one cannot shut down large parts of the railway to upgrade it without doing it one piece at a time. It is a very important part.
If one is from Västerbotten, perhaps one should be careful about thinking that this government is not investing in those parts of Sweden. I do not know how many times Stefan Löfven was there and cut ribbons on the Norrbotniabanan; it didn't become a railway anyway. But I am setting that aside for now.
As I have previously stated, I am responsible for the state-owned companies. SJ, as a company in a market, has now decided that the conditions are lacking to operate this specific railway line, which has been operated in its own capacity for a long time. Trafikverket has a mandate to enter into and be responsible for state agreements regarding various transport-politically motivated public transport solutions where it is seen that there are no conditions for commercial operation. Until now, it has not been chosen to do so in this case, partly with reference to the fact that there are train connections between Gothenburg and Stockholm and that one can travel that way. We will have to see how it ends.
My responsibility for SJ is to ensure that the company lives up to what the Riksdag has decided. This concerns both the transport policy goals as well as return and profitability. This is an important foundation. It may happen that Isak From conducts opinion-building and lobbies within his own party if he wants to change the stance.
Isak From (S)
Mr. Speaker! The Minister for Finance can go back to the Government Offices and press the start button. It is actually the case that the project for the Norrbotniabanan has stood still since the government took office. It is only missing a start decision. One needs to get started. One has long stood and waited to be allowed to build from Dåva up towards Robertsfors. What is the government waiting for? The Minister for Finance can gladly answer that. What is it that the Minister for Finance and the government are waiting for? It is very strange indeed, because there are allocated funds. What is it the government is waiting for? In this case, it was the Minister for Finance who kicked the ball regarding the Norrbotniabanan. There, one just needs to press the start button.
To interpret the Finance Minister's influence as positive, a very clear and good debate arose after our last debate regarding the need to ensure basic infrastructure. One must be able to clear the trains and the switches. There must be clearing halls and equipment for this, otherwise the trains stand still.
The Minister for Finance! I look forward to SJ announcing: We probably think that night trains from northern Sweden and Åre down to Gothenburg is a good idea. We had fully booked trains earlier, and we believe it is possible in the future.
Finansministern Elisabeth Svantesson (M)
Mr. Speaker! Thanks also for this contribution, Isak From! It works wonders when Isak From interpellates about SJ. We will see how it continues. I do not control this myself, but perhaps Isak From's contribution in the debate will make a difference. We shall see.
I can state that the railway is important for Sweden. It is an elongated country where we as individuals, but also a great deal of freight, must be transported. The railway is also climate-smart and good in many ways. It is important that we can get from point A to point B in different ways. The train is important for Sweden and for very many.
We will have to return and see what happens with just this section moving forward. It is possible to run night train traffic to Norrland even without just this section. We will have to see whether Trafikverket procures it or not. I have no knowledge of that right now, and that question is also not on my desk.
Thank you again, Isak From, for once again highlighting questions regarding both infrastructure and the state-owned companies!
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.