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Will do you do live in the Commons. At this time an urgent question is | :00:10. | :00:18. | |
being asked by Heidi Alexander about the deaths of more people in the | :00:19. | :00:23. | |
area covered by the Southern health foundation trust. The report | :00:24. | :00:28. | |
received by the BBC said th`t the depths by mental health and | :00:29. | :00:31. | |
disability patients were not properly examined. After th`t Chris | :00:32. | :00:35. | |
Grayling will answer questions on forthcoming Parliamentary btsiness, | :00:36. | :00:43. | |
and business later today is on the transatlantic trade and invdstment | :00:44. | :00:47. | |
partnership, an agreement bdtween the EU and the United States. And | :00:48. | :00:52. | |
later in the Commons is a ddbate on human rights. Do not forget to join | :00:53. | :00:56. | |
me for a round-up of the Dax in both houses of parliament at 11pl | :00:57. | :01:02. | |
tonight. First it has questhons to the Transport Secretary and his | :01:03. | :01:03. | |
ministerial team. Order! Order! Minister or more | :01:04. | :01:29. | |
likely a quip to move the motion in the name of Mr Philip Hammond. | :01:30. | :01:37. | |
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport. Stewart Seam`n | :01:38. | :01:42. | |
tunnel. Question number one Mr Speaker, -- question number one Mr | :01:43. | :01:47. | |
Speaker. We have taken meastres to reduce waiting periods for large | :01:48. | :01:53. | |
goods vehicle driving test, so far in this financial year the DV SA has | :01:54. | :01:58. | |
read -- has recruited 78 new examiners, 75 are undertaking | :01:59. | :02:03. | |
training and for have been offered posts. This will allow experienced | :02:04. | :02:07. | |
examiners to move over to HCV testing. In 201415 we have the | :02:08. | :02:17. | |
highest total tests for 15 xears. With 45,000 new drivers fill the | :02:18. | :02:23. | |
skills gap, can the Minister confirm whether the HGV driver standard has | :02:24. | :02:27. | |
been approved as part of thd trailblazer apprenticeship programme | :02:28. | :02:32. | |
and can he confirm that companies can use that funding to pay for | :02:33. | :02:38. | |
license acquisition? I can confirm that the chilblains is has been | :02:39. | :02:43. | |
approved, only in the last day or so, and that is a question for the | :02:44. | :02:46. | |
Department for business. I have not yet been fully informed of `ll of | :02:47. | :02:50. | |
the details for that, but it is important that we encourage people | :02:51. | :02:55. | |
to take their test. We know there is a shortage of HGV drivers, we | :02:56. | :02:58. | |
recognise also the vital role that the Road haulage sector ple`se in | :02:59. | :03:03. | |
driving growth and keeping the economy moving. The honourable | :03:04. | :03:06. | |
member may be interested to know that there has been a 36% increase | :03:07. | :03:10. | |
in drivers taking the test hn the past year. While recognising there | :03:11. | :03:15. | |
is always a need for safety and wonder if the minister in hhs | :03:16. | :03:18. | |
department could give consideration to looking at whether or not HGV | :03:19. | :03:22. | |
licences are needed for certain types of vehicle, for example there | :03:23. | :03:27. | |
is so much automation with some of the larger vehicles, does it really | :03:28. | :03:31. | |
need an HGV licence in order to drive some of those vehicles? That | :03:32. | :03:39. | |
is a very interesting questhon. I have... Last though I have driven | :03:40. | :03:50. | |
one of the new high-tech HGV vehicles, without a license, and | :03:51. | :03:54. | |
this was not on the highway network, it was only testing track and I was | :03:55. | :03:59. | |
struck by how the vehicle operates, and the large number of a lot it. | :04:00. | :04:04. | |
And the amount of information that comes at you. I do not think we | :04:05. | :04:08. | |
should be compromising our safety, I suspect that the current regime is | :04:09. | :04:13. | |
just right. The question is whether there is any limits to the talents | :04:14. | :04:19. | |
of the Minister! What is thd Minister doing to encourage | :04:20. | :04:22. | |
negotiations between the DV is staff in relation to the dispute, we have | :04:23. | :04:28. | |
had a high turnout for their election, can the honourabld member | :04:29. | :04:36. | |
encourage the powers that bd the negotiations? I am acutely `ware of | :04:37. | :04:42. | |
the limits of my talents, Mr Speaker. With regards to th`t | :04:43. | :04:45. | |
question we are keen to see a settlement, that is something that | :04:46. | :04:48. | |
my colleague in the other houses currently working on. I thank the | :04:49. | :04:56. | |
Minister for that response. In Northern Ireland there are 60,0 0 | :04:57. | :05:00. | |
vacancies for HGV and LGV drivers, many of those are unable to take up | :05:01. | :05:03. | |
those opportunities because of the price of training, and of the | :05:04. | :05:07. | |
Minister has considered this, could you perhaps look at the possibility | :05:08. | :05:11. | |
of a loan or a grant for thd Ford have thousand pounds it takds to | :05:12. | :05:17. | |
train an HGV driver? This is something the industry is vdry keen | :05:18. | :05:20. | |
to focus on and I am keen to see that more people take their test, my | :05:21. | :05:25. | |
immediate priority is to look at the pass rate. The average pass rate is | :05:26. | :05:30. | |
only 52%, what can be done to increase that will be my top | :05:31. | :05:33. | |
priority. I will consider these matters but I didn't think ht will | :05:34. | :05:37. | |
be possible to start subsidhsing individual licence applicathons | :05:38. | :05:39. | |
otherwise you would have to extend that rate across the whole hndustry. | :05:40. | :05:47. | |
Number three. Mr Speaker I have had a number of discussions with the | :05:48. | :05:50. | |
Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for infrastructurd and | :05:51. | :05:53. | |
investment in cities, the UK Government and Scottish Govdrnment | :05:54. | :05:57. | |
are working closely to conshder options to further reduce journey | :05:58. | :06:00. | |
times. We hope to make a st`tement in the New Year. I thank thd | :06:01. | :06:09. | |
Minister for that reply. Thd Minister will recognise that | :06:10. | :06:14. | |
Scotland has a reputation for excellence in delivering major | :06:15. | :06:16. | |
infrastructure projects, and the Minister tell me what consultations | :06:17. | :06:24. | |
he has undertaken to ensure that businesses and the workforcd in | :06:25. | :06:28. | |
Scotland realise the full bdnefits that HS2 will bring through for | :06:29. | :06:33. | |
example design and construction Esther Speaker HS2 will be very | :06:34. | :06:40. | |
effective in doing a number of presentations to businesses across | :06:41. | :06:42. | |
the country about the opportunities that will arise. One of the biggest | :06:43. | :06:46. | |
construction projects this country has seen. I hope all companhes, BDA | :06:47. | :06:54. | |
in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will have the | :06:55. | :06:57. | |
opportunity to apply for sole of these jobs in some of the contracts. | :06:58. | :07:03. | |
There is no doubt that the first stretch of HS2 phase one will bring | :07:04. | :07:06. | |
reduce journey times to Scotland and the announcement I made last week | :07:07. | :07:12. | |
the last to that. As the wonderful people of Scotland eagerly | :07:13. | :07:17. | |
anticipate this announcement on the high-speed rail network, thdy will | :07:18. | :07:23. | |
become overreliant on travel. Clearly there are slight | :07:24. | :07:28. | |
restrictions between problels between Scottish airports and | :07:29. | :07:31. | |
London, to the Secretary of State anticipate making an announcement | :07:32. | :07:33. | |
soon at the airport capacitx in the Southeast? And ingenious attempts, | :07:34. | :07:42. | |
ingenious but unsuccessful H am afraid. If members look at the | :07:43. | :07:47. | |
terrors of the question of the paper. Thank you Mr Speaker. Labour | :07:48. | :07:53. | |
supports the extension of hhgh-speed rail services to Scotland. To get | :07:54. | :07:58. | |
there they have to get to the north of England first. Why are wd still | :07:59. | :08:02. | |
waiting for ministers to confirm the route and stations for HS2 north of | :08:03. | :08:06. | |
Birmingham? Does the Ministdr understands that the lack of process | :08:07. | :08:10. | |
-- progress pleases their commitment to the North of England in doubt? Mr | :08:11. | :08:17. | |
Speaker I think the greatest -- with the greatest charity I do not think | :08:18. | :08:20. | |
the honourable member can gdt away with that. We have been makhng more | :08:21. | :08:27. | |
progress HS2. The walk up to the idea of HS2 in your 13 of 30. I | :08:28. | :08:35. | |
think the progress that we have made far outstrips the progress that the | :08:36. | :08:41. | |
party opposite ever made. Ntmber for Mr Speaker. Thank you Mr Spdaker. | :08:42. | :08:49. | |
The M6 junction 16-19 Smart lottery scheme commenced start of works in | :08:50. | :08:54. | |
October this year, work on the project is progressing well with | :08:55. | :08:57. | |
site clearance currently behng delivered, the main works for this | :08:58. | :09:02. | |
project are due to commence in 016 with a 23 month construction phase | :09:03. | :09:05. | |
meaning the scheme is expected to conclude in 2018. Several of my | :09:06. | :09:11. | |
constituents living near thhs stretch of the M6 consider that | :09:12. | :09:14. | |
measures to mitigate the effects of noise and pollution are inadequate | :09:15. | :09:18. | |
in terms of the current imp`ct of those matters on them, the hmpact | :09:19. | :09:24. | |
during the works and then the impact on the wide and M6 for years to | :09:25. | :09:28. | |
come. With the ministers medt with me to discuss my constituents | :09:29. | :09:34. | |
concerns? That section of the M is very busy, it carries about 132 000 | :09:35. | :09:38. | |
vehicles per day and there `re measures that can be taken to help | :09:39. | :09:43. | |
organise such as a low noisd service being employed. I would be delighted | :09:44. | :09:50. | |
to meet my honourable friend. Thank you for your indulgence. Thd local | :09:51. | :09:58. | |
enterprise partnership... I am rather out of breath, sir, `nd I am | :09:59. | :10:01. | |
very grateful to catch your eye The local enterprise partnership in | :10:02. | :10:07. | |
Cheshire has identified that stretch of the M 50 -- M6 as a problem that | :10:08. | :10:11. | |
needs work but they failed to identify the M6, the M 56 in | :10:12. | :10:17. | |
Cheshire where major delays in serious accidents are a weekly | :10:18. | :10:21. | |
occurrence. Can I ask the Mhnister while he is looking at the L6 | :10:22. | :10:26. | |
junction 16-19 that he conshders yet again the problems of the M 56 and | :10:27. | :10:29. | |
see if we can take that part of Cheshire further forward in terms of | :10:30. | :10:37. | |
road safety as well. Is a vdry entrepreneurial extension of the | :10:38. | :10:40. | |
question but I am always happy to look at issues of road safety on our | :10:41. | :10:44. | |
network. We have already had a Westminster debate on the issues he | :10:45. | :10:46. | |
is discussing such is fully aware of the government view. The most | :10:47. | :10:51. | |
appalling bit of modelling network anywhere, have we factored further | :10:52. | :11:00. | |
economic growth into the law and the needs to shift freight to r`il? The | :11:01. | :11:06. | |
impact upon the freight sector of our road investments is at the heart | :11:07. | :11:10. | |
of it, and that regards to rail I work very closely with my honourable | :11:11. | :11:16. | |
friend. Question number fivd Mr Speaker. Since 2010 50 miles of | :11:17. | :11:24. | |
track have been electrified including the full route between | :11:25. | :11:28. | |
Liverpool and Manchester, l`st month the chairman of Network Rail at my | :11:29. | :11:33. | |
department's request published his proposal for delivering the | :11:34. | :11:36. | |
multi-billion pound reward has had programmes, reconfirming thhs | :11:37. | :11:39. | |
government's commitment to dlectrify all 350 miles of track, the biggest | :11:40. | :11:43. | |
modernisation of British Rahlways since Victorian times. I th`nk the | :11:44. | :11:50. | |
Minister for her response, hn my opinion the government handling of | :11:51. | :11:52. | |
this electrification progralme has been nothing short of shambolic The | :11:53. | :12:00. | |
deposit and then the un-pause in the trans-Pennine and mainline | :12:01. | :12:04. | |
electrification painted a phcture of a department in disarray. C`n the | :12:05. | :12:10. | |
Minister tell the house what the added cost is to the progralme | :12:11. | :12:13. | |
because of the government's U-turn, of which there was no mention in the | :12:14. | :12:15. | |
Henley review? If the government is committed to an | :12:16. | :12:28. | |
education which we are, unlhke the last Labour government which | :12:29. | :12:32. | |
electrified less than 10 miles of track, 10 miles in 30 years when the | :12:33. | :12:36. | |
economy was booming, I would remind her that this is a government of | :12:37. | :12:41. | |
delivery. We want to make stre that the promises we set out can be | :12:42. | :12:44. | |
delivered, that is why it w`s right to look at the programs and make | :12:45. | :12:47. | |
sure they could be delivered and they will be delivered. Can I just | :12:48. | :12:53. | |
say, yesterday, I would throw pleased to announce one of the | :12:54. | :12:57. | |
biggest upgrade in modernis`tion of rail travel for her constittents | :12:58. | :13:03. | |
that this country has ever seen We are scrapping pacers, introducing | :13:04. | :13:06. | |
new trains, transforming thd round that work in the north, somdthing | :13:07. | :13:10. | |
else the government completdly elected to do. Will she say a bit | :13:11. | :13:16. | |
more about how the electrifhcation project and the award of a new | :13:17. | :13:19. | |
franchise for Northern and Trans Pennine will address the actte need | :13:20. | :13:24. | |
to find additional rolling stock in that part of the country? I can | :13:25. | :13:29. | |
confine that the Midland Mahn will be electrified to Bedford and | :13:30. | :13:36. | |
Kettering by 2019, it will go to Sheffield by 2023, we will | :13:37. | :13:41. | |
electrified to Cardiff by 2019 and complete Liverpool to Newcastle by | :13:42. | :13:46. | |
2022. That means there can be a cascade of Rolling stock across the | :13:47. | :13:48. | |
country. It is not enough for the people of the North to wait for | :13:49. | :13:53. | |
cascaded trains, they deserve brand-new trains to replace the | :13:54. | :13:57. | |
pacers that have been chugghng round that network for 40 years. The | :13:58. | :14:03. | |
honourable lady's government had a chance in 2003 and 2004 to replace | :14:04. | :14:07. | |
the pacers and they did not. The rail passengers of the North deserve | :14:08. | :14:14. | |
better. We get it and they do not. Sir Peter Hendy's report followed | :14:15. | :14:19. | |
Rick down and cancellation of previous promises. Can the Linister | :14:20. | :14:24. | |
guarantee that these new proposals will be in fermented on timd and | :14:25. | :14:30. | |
with the cost as set out with the -- implemented on time with thd right | :14:31. | :14:36. | |
rolling stock? She shares the aspiration that what is prolised is | :14:37. | :14:40. | |
delivered. It is right for Network Rail to take a long hard look at | :14:41. | :14:44. | |
itself because they had been in the business of peddling promisds that | :14:45. | :14:49. | |
went out of control in terms of funding and delivery. The honourable | :14:50. | :14:53. | |
gentleman opposite, his party a few years ago wanted to make Network | :14:54. | :14:57. | |
Rail the guiding mind of thd whole railway, we do not hear abott that | :14:58. | :15:02. | |
nowadays. It is right that we have change the management structure of | :15:03. | :15:05. | |
Network Rail, put in Sir Peter Hendy who is an extract -- excepthonally | :15:06. | :15:10. | |
experienced railwaymen, we have asked them to look hard at delivery | :15:11. | :15:15. | |
and in the spending review we were able to reconfirm the spendhng | :15:16. | :15:17. | |
commitment which means that the money is therefore that | :15:18. | :15:22. | |
transformational project. The largest investment in the r`ilways | :15:23. | :15:25. | |
since the Victorians is on the Great Western mainline and it will have a | :15:26. | :15:29. | |
huge impact on the Bath and West of England economy. What progrdss is | :15:30. | :15:32. | |
she making on the four miles of track that will link the eldctrified | :15:33. | :15:35. | |
Great Western mainline with Heathrow? This is part of the | :15:36. | :15:45. | |
overall proposal, the Western rail link is it vital, it has bedn set | :15:46. | :15:48. | |
out and there is work going on to make sure how important it hs. Can I | :15:49. | :15:54. | |
mentioned that he represents a fine city, he and I went to the box | :15:55. | :15:58. | |
Tunnel together this summer on a people mover, that sounds worse than | :15:59. | :16:04. | |
it is, to see first-hand, transformational effect the | :16:05. | :16:08. | |
electrification work is havhng on his city. The news that the | :16:09. | :16:16. | |
completion will be delayed `nd the costs will be higher has catsed | :16:17. | :16:20. | |
dismay. The cost of the electrification programme is now set | :16:21. | :16:24. | |
to be 2.5 billion more than planned with Network Rail borrowing limit | :16:25. | :16:27. | |
having been increased, and the rest of the money being found of the sale | :16:28. | :16:32. | |
of assets. What assurances can the government give that these `sset | :16:33. | :16:35. | |
sales will be efficient, and given that costs have risen by 70$, what | :16:36. | :16:42. | |
happens if they rise further? He raises the delivery risk inherent in | :16:43. | :16:45. | |
all these things, this is the biggest transformation projdct for | :16:46. | :16:48. | |
100 years. He is right to s`y that this has to be funded through | :16:49. | :16:53. | |
government money and also third-party asset sales. A huge | :16:54. | :16:55. | |
amount of due diligence has gone into that work, but we now have a | :16:56. | :16:59. | |
plan where we can stand up `nd be confident that ?38 billion will be | :17:00. | :17:03. | |
committed and 850 miles of track track will be electrified. H welcome | :17:04. | :17:10. | |
the news that the alleged location of the Chase line is on track for | :17:11. | :17:16. | |
completion in 2017. Unfortunate that it is little comfort to the people | :17:17. | :17:22. | |
currently using the service who experience overcrowding at peak | :17:23. | :17:25. | |
times. Will she call on all relevant organisations including London | :17:26. | :17:31. | |
Midland and Amazon to work together to find a solution to this | :17:32. | :17:36. | |
overcrowding? I would be certainly happy to confirm my interest in | :17:37. | :17:45. | |
reducing overcrowding gener`lly Question number six. As a kden | :17:46. | :17:50. | |
cyclist myself, I am delighted that this government continues to | :17:51. | :17:57. | |
encourage more cycling and walking across England. Spending per head | :17:58. | :18:02. | |
went up from ?2 per head to ?6 now, more than ?10 in cycling ambition | :18:03. | :18:07. | |
cities. In terms of long-term vision, the government has lade it | :18:08. | :18:11. | |
clear we want to make Britahn a cycling nation. One step will be to | :18:12. | :18:16. | |
publish the cycling and walking investment strategy next sulmer and | :18:17. | :18:21. | |
the recent spending review committee ?300 million to cycling. Th`nk you | :18:22. | :18:28. | |
for your response. The comprehensive spending review is little ndw money | :18:29. | :18:33. | |
and amounts to just ?1 40 pdr head over the course of this Parliament. | :18:34. | :18:40. | |
I predecessors in the pool party cycling group said this shotld be -- | :18:41. | :18:47. | |
in the all-party cycling group thought it should be ?10 per person | :18:48. | :18:53. | |
per year. How can we deliver an effective strategy to such ` low | :18:54. | :19:01. | |
cost? She is right to focus on the need to invest but the investment in | :19:02. | :19:04. | |
our view and in her view should be targeted, so the cycling ambition | :19:05. | :19:09. | |
cities get more than ?10 per head. Her analysis does not include our | :19:10. | :19:14. | |
commitment that every mile of new road built by highways in Lxnch | :19:15. | :19:20. | |
recycled proof, and additional money has gone to make sure that cities | :19:21. | :19:25. | |
and towns that want to encotrage cycling can do so. It is here that | :19:26. | :19:31. | |
cycling took a big hit in the spending review, and there will be | :19:32. | :19:35. | |
very little left for the cycling and walking investment strategy when it | :19:36. | :19:40. | |
appears. I think the Ministdr has effectively had the air let out of | :19:41. | :19:45. | |
her tyres. Will she confirmdd today that the figure of ?1.49 will be the | :19:46. | :19:50. | |
real figure for cycling outside London, and spending on cycling has | :19:51. | :19:54. | |
effectively been halved? He represents a cycling city which I am | :19:55. | :19:58. | |
proud to visit, I am yet to see him on his bike pedalling past our front | :19:59. | :20:03. | |
door however I am sure I will soon. I refute that, we have incrddible | :20:04. | :20:15. | |
provision for cycling, he only has to look at the chaos of the | :20:16. | :20:18. | |
East-West cycling highway bding delivered, that is the targdt being | :20:19. | :20:24. | |
reached in eight cities, we have ensured that every mile of new road | :20:25. | :20:27. | |
that is built will be cycle proof, something the last government | :20:28. | :20:37. | |
neglected to do. Number sevdn. As the Prime Minister told the House a | :20:38. | :20:40. | |
few weeks ago, it is the government's ambition for the UK to | :20:41. | :20:43. | |
become the European hub for commercial space flight and we hope | :20:44. | :20:46. | |
to launch the competition to select the location for the base in the | :20:47. | :20:52. | |
latter half of 2016. It has long been believed that Prestwick airport | :20:53. | :20:59. | |
was the only place in the UK visited by none other than Elvis. It is an | :21:00. | :21:04. | |
area that needs attention and economic investment. Will the | :21:05. | :21:07. | |
minister follow in the King 's footsteps? And play a flying visit | :21:08. | :21:17. | |
to see how his government c`n help regenerate this airport in Scotland? | :21:18. | :21:21. | |
I am aware that the visit, `lthough this is one of Prestwick's claims to | :21:22. | :21:25. | |
fame, there are several othdr contenders in this competithon but I | :21:26. | :21:32. | |
would be able to visit. We do not need elder son we have got the | :21:33. | :21:37. | |
honourable gentleman! -- Elvis when we have got the honourable | :21:38. | :21:43. | |
gentleman! Number eight. Thd Coalition Government spent ?41 | :21:44. | :21:46. | |
billion on transport infrastructure between 2010. On the equivalent | :21:47. | :21:53. | |
basis, this government plans to spend 21 -- six to 1 billion between | :21:54. | :22:00. | |
2015 and 2020, an increase of 1 %. This includes 15 billion on the | :22:01. | :22:05. | |
biggest road improvement programme in Britain since 1970 and the | :22:06. | :22:10. | |
education of 850 mile of Rahlway, the biggest modernisation shnce | :22:11. | :22:14. | |
Victorian times. I am grateful to him for the answer. He will know the | :22:15. | :22:19. | |
importance that I attach to the north-west relief road, the final | :22:20. | :22:23. | |
bit of the road around Shrewsbury which has a cost benefit ratio of | :22:24. | :22:29. | |
5.4. He says this project whll be the responsibility of the l`b, - | :22:30. | :22:37. | |
local authorities, how will he work with them to make sure they have | :22:38. | :22:41. | |
risen -- support? He is right, he has made a sponsor ability ,- he has | :22:42. | :22:50. | |
made representations on this. It is right that this is taken forward by | :22:51. | :23:00. | |
the partnerships, and details of how the funding will be announcdd | :23:01. | :23:05. | |
shortly. With no news on thd privately financed electrifhcation | :23:06. | :23:11. | |
of the line between Selby and Hull, and the announcement yesterday | :23:12. | :23:14. | |
around the trans-Pennine fr`nchise failing to give additional services | :23:15. | :23:21. | |
for Hull for city of culturd 20 7, and only providing refurbished | :23:22. | :23:26. | |
trains and are not new trains, can he understand why the peopld of Hull | :23:27. | :23:34. | |
were taken aback by the comlents on the news last night which s`id that | :23:35. | :23:38. | |
the investment in transport is about to overtake the South? Is that not | :23:39. | :23:41. | |
show that he is away with the Christmas fairies? I do not know | :23:42. | :23:50. | |
whether I want to go into Christmas fairies as far as the Labour Party | :23:51. | :23:52. | |
is concerned, they may see them in many places. I would say thhs, the | :23:53. | :23:59. | |
Department for Transport has been very helpful to Hull in its | :24:00. | :24:03. | |
preparations for the city of culture. Not least the improvements | :24:04. | :24:07. | |
that will be seen and Hull station. But also the proposal that H have | :24:08. | :24:11. | |
done with her honourable frhend the member for Hull East, as far as | :24:12. | :24:16. | |
ensuring that a footbridge hs brought forward quicker as far as | :24:17. | :24:22. | |
the access to the dock in Htll is concerned and I am sorry shd cannot | :24:23. | :24:27. | |
welcome that. Would the secretary of State consider reviewing his | :24:28. | :24:31. | |
spending priorities, becausd is it not true that there would bd | :24:32. | :24:33. | |
billions of pounds availabld to spend on transport infrastrtcture | :24:34. | :24:39. | |
between 2015 and 2020 across the whole country if the current plans | :24:40. | :24:44. | |
for HS2 were placed with a conventional -- replaced with a | :24:45. | :24:48. | |
conventional high-speed lind running at 155 miles an hour? Then there | :24:49. | :24:52. | |
would be money available to pay decent compensation, providd | :24:53. | :24:58. | |
improved environment protection and faster investment in HS thrde, which | :24:59. | :25:02. | |
should be a greater authority than cutting ten minutes of the journey | :25:03. | :25:07. | |
between Birmingham and London. I do not think I am ever going to | :25:08. | :25:11. | |
convince her on this partictlar subject so I am much I am going to | :25:12. | :25:16. | |
try. To just simply say, thd investment we are doing in | :25:17. | :25:21. | |
high-speed two is not just `bout speed. I cannot get this ovdr | :25:22. | :25:27. | |
enough, it is also about capacity, the huge increase of people we are | :25:28. | :25:31. | |
seeing travelling on our rahlways. My honourable friend says wd can | :25:32. | :25:33. | |
just build another conventional line, another one would would cost | :25:34. | :25:40. | |
90% of what HS2 is costing `nyway. There would be no significant | :25:41. | :25:44. | |
savings. I make no apology of being part of the government investing for | :25:45. | :25:48. | |
the future of the nation. One of the future infrastructure projects for | :25:49. | :25:53. | |
this comment to make a decision on, which is of most interest to most | :25:54. | :25:56. | |
people, is that of airport expansion. People in all positions | :25:57. | :26:00. | |
on the issue are interested to know when the decision will be m`de. On | :26:01. | :26:04. | |
the 1st of July 2015, the Prime Minister said, what I can s`y is | :26:05. | :26:10. | |
that we have all read the rdport and a decision will be made by the end | :26:11. | :26:14. | |
of the year. On the 5th of October, the Secretary of State said at the | :26:15. | :26:19. | |
Conservative conference, thd Davis commission has produced a powerful | :26:20. | :26:22. | |
report and we will respond by the end of the year and he repe`ted this | :26:23. | :26:27. | |
in an interview on the 30th of October. Will the Minister confirm | :26:28. | :26:30. | |
that a decision will be madd on airport expansion I the end of the | :26:31. | :26:34. | |
year, or will party politics and the London mayoral elections cole for a | :26:35. | :26:40. | |
decision for the nations of the UK? Mr Speaker, I have read much | :26:41. | :26:46. | |
speculation about what decisions we may be about to take. Some of that | :26:47. | :26:49. | |
speculation might be true btt until we make a decision, I will not be | :26:50. | :26:51. | |
able to inform the House. Given that answer on the potential | :26:52. | :27:01. | |
for a delay, Mr Speaker, and given that the dealers commission had | :27:02. | :27:03. | |
accepted that links for reghonal airports are vital for the future, | :27:04. | :27:09. | |
especially for airports such as Inverness and Dundee, will the | :27:10. | :27:13. | |
Minister commits to urgentlx bringing forward proposals for | :27:14. | :27:18. | |
public service obligations for such routes and amending the reghonal | :27:19. | :27:21. | |
development fund to keep regional air routes sustainable? I know how | :27:22. | :27:27. | |
very important it is to keep links to the London airports at it is | :27:28. | :27:30. | |
something I am more than happy to discuss with the honourable | :27:31. | :27:33. | |
gentleman in detail along whth conversations with the Scottish | :27:34. | :27:39. | |
Government. With the Secret`ry of State or the rail minister be | :27:40. | :27:42. | |
willing to discuss with me transport infrastructure investment in south | :27:43. | :27:48. | |
London? There are proposals from transport for London Departlent for | :27:49. | :27:49. | |
Transport with local authorhties have not been consulted on which | :27:50. | :27:54. | |
would lead to a reduction in the number of fast services going into | :27:55. | :27:58. | |
Victoria. I would like to dhscuss that with ministers. I am stre that | :27:59. | :28:03. | |
my honourable friend the Minister for rail would be more than happy to | :28:04. | :28:07. | |
meet the honourable gentlem`n, the simple fact is that what we are | :28:08. | :28:11. | |
seeing in London is an ever greater amount of transport and we `re doing | :28:12. | :28:14. | |
all we possibly can to meet those requirements. With the Victoria line | :28:15. | :28:19. | |
offering 37 trains per hour, upgrades of the Northern line at the | :28:20. | :28:23. | |
pleasure to receive further upgrades are in something that we ard looking | :28:24. | :28:36. | |
into. The government is providing between ?15.2 billion betwedn 2 15 | :28:37. | :28:41. | |
and 21 to invest in the road network. This is the biggest upgrade | :28:42. | :28:45. | |
on the motorways and a Rhodds in a generation, adding to capachty. I | :28:46. | :28:51. | |
welcome what my right honourable friend has just said, is he aware | :28:52. | :28:56. | |
that there are many ways of reducing congestion that are not | :28:57. | :29:02. | |
anti-motorist? Has he seen the report by counsel Richard Tracey | :29:03. | :29:05. | |
called green light which concludes that a majority of traffic lights | :29:06. | :29:09. | |
could be turned off between midnight and six a.m., reducing congdstion | :29:10. | :29:14. | |
and pollution? Why should a motorist have to sit at a red traffic light | :29:15. | :29:19. | |
when there are no pedestrians and no vehicles seeking to use the | :29:20. | :29:22. | |
junction? Will he persuade local authorities to review their traffic | :29:23. | :29:25. | |
light policy and get them to turn some of them off? Mr Speaker I | :29:26. | :29:34. | |
rather hope at this time of year people are turning lights on rather | :29:35. | :29:37. | |
than off but can I say to mx right honourable friend this is something | :29:38. | :29:41. | |
I know that he feels very strongly on, and would like us to look at and | :29:42. | :29:45. | |
I have certainly more than happy to look at the report done by Richard | :29:46. | :29:49. | |
Tracey on this particular m`tter but in the main it is a matter for | :29:50. | :29:52. | |
highway authorities and perhaps he could have influence on his own One | :29:53. | :29:58. | |
of the main causes of congestion in urban areas is illegal parkhng. What | :29:59. | :30:04. | |
is he doing to make the enforcement system more effective and more | :30:05. | :30:10. | |
simple? That is a matter for the local highway authorities to deal | :30:11. | :30:16. | |
with, they have the measures, they have the regulations in which they | :30:17. | :30:22. | |
can see this happening. Havhng visited Chippenham constitudncy a | :30:23. | :30:25. | |
number of times the Secretary of State will know about the specific | :30:26. | :30:29. | |
and copy the problems of tr`ffic congestion in Bradford and dven It | :30:30. | :30:32. | |
is having a significant imp`ct on business and residents, and my right | :30:33. | :30:36. | |
honourable friend suggested advice to deal with this club problem? I do | :30:37. | :30:43. | |
appreciate the point that mx honourable friend present and I | :30:44. | :30:48. | |
visited her earlier this ye`r. The points he makes about traffhc | :30:49. | :30:52. | |
congestion in that particul`r town are absolutely correct and H am more | :30:53. | :30:56. | |
than happy to meet with her along with my honourable friend the | :30:57. | :31:00. | |
Minister for roads to discuss in detail what we could do to help but | :31:01. | :31:04. | |
in the main it is something that the council will come forward whth. From | :31:05. | :31:10. | |
a perspective of tackling congestion in the pinch point scheme at | :31:11. | :31:13. | |
junction 24 of the M-16 has been a huge success. Unfortunately one | :31:14. | :31:18. | |
unintended consequence is an increase in motorway noise for the | :31:19. | :31:23. | |
residents who live adjacent to the M-16 at that location on Thompson | :31:24. | :31:29. | |
close. How -- highways Engl`nd have promised to put in noise reduction | :31:30. | :31:32. | |
measures including new road surfacing in a new financial year. | :31:33. | :31:36. | |
Can the Secretary of State hn this happens early in that new fhnancial | :31:37. | :31:45. | |
year? I have to say that I do not know that's junction partictlarly | :31:46. | :31:48. | |
well myself but following the representations he has made I will | :31:49. | :31:51. | |
certainly look into it and will write to him as to when highways | :31:52. | :31:57. | |
England will be doing that. One of the key campaigns in my constituency | :31:58. | :32:01. | |
to reduce congestion is for an M4 link to the ring road that Woods | :32:02. | :32:07. | |
involve an extra junction, next year the joint transport study | :32:08. | :32:09. | |
commissioned by the local enterprise partnership and surrounding councils | :32:10. | :32:14. | |
will be looking at how to rdduce congestion and I hope the M4 will be | :32:15. | :32:18. | |
an integral part of this, whll be Transport Secretary meet with myself | :32:19. | :32:22. | |
to discuss this? I am more than happy to meet with my honourable | :32:23. | :32:26. | |
friend to discuss this, there is a huge amount of investment bding made | :32:27. | :32:30. | |
available to highways England, I think I visited the site with my | :32:31. | :32:33. | |
honourable friend earlier this year and it would open up a largd area of | :32:34. | :32:38. | |
potential development which I think it's very important. Mr Spe`ker over | :32:39. | :32:46. | |
the summer roads to the Channel port ground to a halt, body drivdrs were | :32:47. | :32:49. | |
stuck in the accounts and ndeded emergency water to drink, local | :32:50. | :32:54. | |
businesses were ahead and vhllages were cut off. The Chancellor's | :32:55. | :32:59. | |
announcement for the new alloy Park could be a step in the right | :33:00. | :33:02. | |
direction but it will keep the traffic moving by itself, it falls | :33:03. | :33:06. | |
well short of highways management road improvement works and local | :33:07. | :33:12. | |
partners tell me that this hs needed if Kent is to be protected from | :33:13. | :33:16. | |
similar incidents in the future Thus the Secretary of State | :33:17. | :33:19. | |
considers the lorry park job done and if not what else will hd do | :33:20. | :33:22. | |
before rather than after thd people of the Southeast go through the same | :33:23. | :33:29. | |
thing again? I do not regard it as job done but I regard it as a great | :33:30. | :33:32. | |
step in the right direction, to be able to find that kind of rdsorts | :33:33. | :33:41. | |
available -- re-sources avahlable so we resolve the situation th`t is | :33:42. | :33:45. | |
unacceptable for the people of Kent. So it is definitely a step hn the | :33:46. | :33:48. | |
right direction but I will keep every other option under review | :33:49. | :34:01. | |
Number ten. The community transport minibus fund will provide over 00 | :34:02. | :34:04. | |
organisations with a new minibus they can continue to providd vital | :34:05. | :34:09. | |
services they offer approxilately 70 organisations whose vehicle | :34:10. | :34:12. | |
requirements are very specific be granted funding to purchase a | :34:13. | :34:16. | |
vehicle. We have started to deliver them to these organisations already. | :34:17. | :34:20. | |
The competition to supply the remaining vehicles commences next | :34:21. | :34:24. | |
Monday. I would like to thank my honourable friend for that `nswer | :34:25. | :34:28. | |
but could he make sure that Lancashire County Council are aware | :34:29. | :34:34. | |
of utilising this scheme? They are currently proposing to cut the | :34:35. | :34:37. | |
subsidy to rural buses and others even though they have almost half ?1 | :34:38. | :34:45. | |
billion reserved. Like my honourable friend we understand the vital role | :34:46. | :34:50. | |
the buses play, the community transport fund is to help | :34:51. | :34:53. | |
not-for-profit organisations to continue to meet the use of | :34:54. | :34:55. | |
passengers who might otherwhse have no axe port -- access to public | :34:56. | :35:00. | |
transport. Could I draw my honourable friend's attention to the | :35:01. | :35:03. | |
bus service operators grant the government provides, the purpose is | :35:04. | :35:08. | |
to run buses that may not otherwise be viable. I cannot construct like a | :35:09. | :35:13. | |
county council but I hope the considering applying this ftnding | :35:14. | :35:17. | |
anyway to improve rural are`s and their economic growth and social | :35:18. | :35:25. | |
inclusion. The county counchl will cut their funding for local | :35:26. | :35:28. | |
transport from next year, which will see transport in my constittency was | :35:29. | :35:36. | |
a nearly ?150,000. This is xet another attack on the elderly and | :35:37. | :35:40. | |
vulnerable, by Derbyshire County Council who are playing polhtics | :35:41. | :35:45. | |
with vital community servicds. Ahead of my debates next Wednesdax, with | :35:46. | :35:48. | |
the Minister agree with me that we should be supporting these services, | :35:49. | :35:56. | |
not cutting them? My honour`ble friend as ever is a significant | :35:57. | :35:59. | |
champion for her constituency and we will be fully on the merits of | :36:00. | :36:07. | |
supporting buses. Following on from that question, is the Minister aware | :36:08. | :36:13. | |
that the real culprit in thhs business is the Tory governlent | :36:14. | :36:18. | |
They have cut Derbyshire Cotnty Council's grants by ?157 million. | :36:19. | :36:30. | |
Give Derbyshire the money b`ck and we can sort everything out hn the | :36:31. | :36:38. | |
whole county. I do enjoy thd honourable member's interventions, | :36:39. | :36:40. | |
IM sure he was a very formidable in his prime. I was just like to say | :36:41. | :36:47. | |
that it is up to Derbyshire County Council to organise their own | :36:48. | :36:51. | |
priorities and we should be focusing on things that make a difference. | :36:52. | :37:01. | |
Number 11, Mr Speaker. I am so sorry I was entranced by the honotrable | :37:02. | :37:05. | |
gentleman from Bolsover. We are making good progress on | :37:06. | :37:10. | |
implementing, with permission now please group this with question 13? | :37:11. | :37:15. | |
I am so sorry. We are making good progress on in promoting sm`rt | :37:16. | :37:18. | |
ticketing across England, on railways in some train oper`tors are | :37:19. | :37:23. | |
already using smart card and bar code technology. All of our major | :37:24. | :37:26. | |
cities have smart ticketing schemes and we have committed ?150 lillion | :37:27. | :37:32. | |
to support the vision of oyster for the North. I thank the Minister | :37:33. | :37:38. | |
Devolution to Manchester in clothes plans to introduce a smart ticketing | :37:39. | :37:43. | |
scheme, I am assured that travel data will be collected and hn terms | :37:44. | :37:47. | |
of further improvement to the needs the greater Manchester's public | :37:48. | :37:52. | |
transport system. Years important to point out the importance of -- it is | :37:53. | :37:58. | |
important to point out that gathering data is essential. I agree | :37:59. | :38:01. | |
with you about the importance of data to transport for greatdr | :38:02. | :38:05. | |
Manchester, who are responshble for introducing these schemes. The | :38:06. | :38:09. | |
Minister will not that I have raised automatic refund previously and | :38:10. | :38:14. | |
campaign for the introduction in Kent is my constituents can benefit | :38:15. | :38:17. | |
from refunds when the trains are delayed by a few minutes instead of | :38:18. | :38:22. | |
30 minutes. At the Minister tell the house when the scheme will be | :38:23. | :38:26. | |
introduced? And I commend the honourable gentleman who | :38:27. | :38:30. | |
consistently pushes the intdrests of his constituents. He may be aware | :38:31. | :38:35. | |
that from federally, see to see who run the services in his constituency | :38:36. | :38:42. | |
will provide compensation after two minutes delay for those customers | :38:43. | :38:46. | |
who are registered and signdd up to their system. This is exactly the | :38:47. | :38:49. | |
sort of scheme I want to sed nationally so we will closely | :38:50. | :38:52. | |
monitor the roll out of this programme to see if it can be rolled | :38:53. | :38:57. | |
out across other franchises. Flexible ticketing was annotnced in | :38:58. | :39:02. | |
2013 and was wildly popular in south-east and when it was trial in | :39:03. | :39:05. | |
2014 but there are rumours that has been kicked in the long grass. Can | :39:06. | :39:08. | |
the Minister scotched the rtmours for long-suffering communithes in | :39:09. | :39:13. | |
the south-east by announcing the date this will be rolled out for | :39:14. | :39:18. | |
committees in the Southeast? He is right to point out that the | :39:19. | :39:25. | |
government has committed ovdr ? 80 million to this scheme that is being | :39:26. | :39:28. | |
permitted. We are currently looking at the best way to roll that out | :39:29. | :39:33. | |
across the top. It has gone live on Southern, GTR and indeed on the sea | :39:34. | :39:36. | |
to sea and we are talking to south-eastern about the right date | :39:37. | :39:41. | |
to introduce it and I am happy to meet with the honourable gentleman | :39:42. | :39:49. | |
to discuss. , 12. I have received a number of representations from those | :39:50. | :39:51. | |
in Scotland with interest in the future provision of the emergency | :39:52. | :39:56. | |
towing vessels operating from the Northern Isles. The governmdnt | :39:57. | :39:59. | |
recognises the importance of ensuring shipping activity off the | :40:00. | :40:02. | |
coast of Scotland remains a safe and to that end the maritime co`st guard | :40:03. | :40:07. | |
agency will consult with interested parties in the need and scope of | :40:08. | :40:11. | |
putting alternative twin arrangement in beyond April 20 16. The Secretary | :40:12. | :40:18. | |
of State will remember the very interesting and lively disctssions | :40:19. | :40:21. | |
that we had leading up to the decision to retain that emergency | :40:22. | :40:26. | |
towing vessel in 2011, he whll recall that the people on -, people | :40:27. | :40:31. | |
in his own department who w`nted to remove it argued that cover could be | :40:32. | :40:35. | |
provided by the offshore oil and gas industry working in the reghon, he | :40:36. | :40:39. | |
will also be aware that the price of oil has fallen sharply sincd then, | :40:40. | :40:43. | |
it is much less activity from the North Sea and can I get on the | :40:44. | :40:47. | |
Secretary of State that the case that it led to the right decision in | :40:48. | :40:51. | |
2011 is even stronger today than it was then. I do not think thd | :40:52. | :40:58. | |
conversation to put the record right that the rate honourable judgment | :40:59. | :41:01. | |
reversed in 2011 were held hn the Department for Transport, they were | :41:02. | :41:06. | |
held elsewhere. But I do very well remember the case being madd, and I | :41:07. | :41:10. | |
also well remember visiting the vessel with him during the summer of | :41:11. | :41:22. | |
2013. Number 14, please. Thd government has been investing | :41:23. | :41:24. | |
heavily in service improvemdnt in this region through the | :41:25. | :41:28. | |
multi-billion pound tens like programme where nutrients, service | :41:29. | :41:31. | |
and station improvements will now finally start to be deliverdd. But I | :41:32. | :41:36. | |
am the first to recognise that the current performance at the Brighton | :41:37. | :41:40. | |
Main line has been well below expectations. That is why I continue | :41:41. | :41:45. | |
to cheer the south-east task force focusing on driving up performance | :41:46. | :41:49. | |
on these vital routes and I should like to invite the honourable lady | :41:50. | :41:53. | |
and all those interested to a New Year task force gripping whdre we | :41:54. | :41:56. | |
will discuss these performance improvements specifically for these | :41:57. | :41:57. | |
routes. Given that Southern rail ard about | :41:58. | :42:08. | |
to roll out the new timetable on the Brighton mainline and their | :42:09. | :42:12. | |
performance has been so poor, can the Minister provide Sussex MPs with | :42:13. | :42:16. | |
a monthly report -- perform`nce report so we can personally put | :42:17. | :42:20. | |
pressure on southern rail to deliver? She raises an excellent | :42:21. | :42:24. | |
point. I am told that all this information is on the website but I | :42:25. | :42:29. | |
confess I find it quite difficult to find and quite hard to interpret. So | :42:30. | :42:36. | |
I am going to make sure the information provided to the operator | :42:37. | :42:39. | |
to my department and published is made available to members of the | :42:40. | :42:43. | |
public and the MPs in the most obvious and transparent forl so we | :42:44. | :42:48. | |
can all see the performance important we can. Huddersfidld is a | :42:49. | :42:51. | |
long way from the Southeast but I know he will ask a focused puestion | :42:52. | :42:57. | |
like a laser about the safe -- Southeast. When we are here in | :42:58. | :43:04. | |
London and the south-east, we use southern rail and we are pldased | :43:05. | :43:07. | |
that it is good to be improved, we do not begrudge that investlent but | :43:08. | :43:10. | |
we do put it in perspective, we re not getting enough infrastrtcture | :43:11. | :43:15. | |
investment in the North linking the big towns and cities. So North | :43:16. | :43:20. | |
first, South second. The honourable gentleman is a good friend `nd I | :43:21. | :43:23. | |
would head to suggest he was snoozing yesterday rather than | :43:24. | :43:28. | |
watching the news, we announced yesterday a transformational package | :43:29. | :43:32. | |
for wear away in the North. In Huddersfield, new trains, ndw | :43:33. | :43:39. | |
services, three new stations, 5 0 new carriages across the network, | :43:40. | :43:45. | |
and on-board improvements for passengers. He might shake his head, | :43:46. | :43:49. | |
he is going to happen, he c`n say goodbye to the paces from 2019. This | :43:50. | :44:00. | |
government is proud that -- and determined that the Northern | :44:01. | :44:04. | |
powerhouse is going to come to fruition. My constituents fhnd it | :44:05. | :44:13. | |
extremely difficult to get the Southeast because we do not have a | :44:14. | :44:18. | |
direct rail service to London. Can the Minister use her good offices to | :44:19. | :44:22. | |
ensure that the realm regul`ted who has had an application with them for | :44:23. | :44:27. | |
two years, make a quick dechsion? It is impressive stuff. The honourable | :44:28. | :44:33. | |
gentleman will know that thd open access competition to which he | :44:34. | :44:36. | |
refers is a matter for the regulator but it has been quite clear that his | :44:37. | :44:41. | |
constant campaigning is payhng off, he is getting ?88 million of funding | :44:42. | :44:47. | |
resignalling of the region, plus the resignalling of the region, plus the | :44:48. | :44:54. | |
massive franchise benefits xesterday including improvement at Cldethorpes | :44:55. | :45:01. | |
station. Last but non-dash-lacro last but not least, the man with a | :45:02. | :45:06. | |
dazzling taste in ties. The department has engaged extensively | :45:07. | :45:15. | |
with our markets to raise awareness of forthcoming businesses, dquipping | :45:16. | :45:19. | |
British firms to respond to opportunities. We are working to | :45:20. | :45:23. | |
strengthen capability of thd UK s rail supply chain so that UK based | :45:24. | :45:26. | |
suppliers are better able to win work here and abroad. It was not | :45:27. | :45:34. | |
based on the original design. If the junction, I promise you. -- design | :45:35. | :45:43. | |
of spaghetti Junction. Most of the line -- line that build these lines | :45:44. | :45:52. | |
will come from my quarries. Does he agree that when we look at the | :45:53. | :46:00. | |
gossips bad, that will be for my local businesses, who can gdt | :46:01. | :46:03. | |
business in an out of the area, and if it was extended it would further | :46:04. | :46:13. | |
benefit local economy? I am grateful to his ... I think partly through | :46:14. | :46:25. | |
the rogue investment progralme we are moving towards, but also through | :46:26. | :46:29. | |
the work that Colin Matthews I'd doing on the wider issue of the | :46:30. | :46:38. | |
tunnel, is good for his are`. Since I last addressed the House, | :46:39. | :46:44. | |
Cumbria, Lancashire and the north-west have led to -- exudes the | :46:45. | :46:49. | |
worst flooding since 2005. This close the West Coast Main lhne but | :46:50. | :46:55. | |
Network Rail's orange Army have worked tirelessly to restord | :46:56. | :46:59. | |
services and trades are oncd again running from London to Glasgow via | :47:00. | :47:08. | |
Preston. This Christmas, Network Rail will undertake a significant | :47:09. | :47:12. | |
programme of work delivering the government's record ?38 billion | :47:13. | :47:17. | |
investment in the railways. Given the imminence of the announcement, I | :47:18. | :47:22. | |
am going to resist the urge to ask about Heathrow and ask what steps | :47:23. | :47:28. | |
his department will now takd on the issue of irresponsible pavelent | :47:29. | :47:31. | |
parking in view of the cross-party support that issue gained in the | :47:32. | :47:34. | |
Private members bill that wd debated in this house last Friday. Hndeed, | :47:35. | :47:40. | |
think it was a very useful debate which took place last Fridax. | :47:41. | :47:45. | |
Commitments were given to h`ve further discussions on this very | :47:46. | :47:49. | |
important issue and I will dnsure that those discussions take place | :47:50. | :47:54. | |
and the address some of those issues. There are a lot of powers | :47:55. | :47:57. | |
which local authorities havd if they wish to use them. The closure of | :47:58. | :48:03. | |
roads and rail lines in recdnt days is a timely reminder of the strain | :48:04. | :48:09. | |
extreme weather events placd on our transport networks. We all remember | :48:10. | :48:14. | |
the flooding at airport at 2010 and 2013, the loss of the Dawlish | :48:15. | :48:17. | |
seawall and the heroic response of Network Rail's Orange Army. Can the | :48:18. | :48:23. | |
Secretary of State explain why the Dawlish resilience option rdport, | :48:24. | :48:27. | |
due last month, has not been published, and what assurance can he | :48:28. | :48:31. | |
give that the lessons of prdvious periods of disruption have been | :48:32. | :48:37. | |
learned? Mr Speaker, we are already always looking to learn frol | :48:38. | :48:40. | |
expresses his rehab and that is the case as far as the Dawlish repairs | :48:41. | :48:43. | |
and the work that has been done by Network Rail to ensure that line is | :48:44. | :48:51. | |
secure for future use. When there are excessive weather conditions | :48:52. | :48:53. | |
like this last weekend, it puts extra pressure on on the network. It | :48:54. | :48:59. | |
is important to make sure the network continues to operatd safely. | :49:00. | :49:06. | |
I hope we do learn from expdrience, the honourable member for Inverness | :49:07. | :49:10. | |
had a little go so I will ghve the Secretary of State another chance. | :49:11. | :49:12. | |
The Prime Minister told this house in July, and I cried, the gtarantee | :49:13. | :49:16. | |
that I can get is that a decision will be made -- and I quote, is that | :49:17. | :49:22. | |
a decision will be made by the end of the year on airport expansion. | :49:23. | :49:25. | |
Employers should have been clear that the gunmen should bring forward | :49:26. | :49:30. | |
the decision but fear furthdr politically motivated delay. So was | :49:31. | :49:33. | |
the prime and make making clear pledge or our residents who live | :49:34. | :49:39. | |
near Heathrow and that Wick about to be subjected to yet more polite and | :49:40. | :49:46. | |
uncertainty? -- Gatwick. I will not take any lessons from the L`bour | :49:47. | :49:49. | |
Party on planning infrastructure, they were woeful at it and they did | :49:50. | :49:53. | |
very little of it. We have got a government more committed to | :49:54. | :49:57. | |
infrastructure than we saw hn 1 years. When an announcement is to be | :49:58. | :50:05. | |
made, I will make it in the House. Can I thank my right honour`ble | :50:06. | :50:09. | |
friend for visiting Cardiff last week and discussing electrification | :50:10. | :50:11. | |
amongst many other issues, `nd welcome the fact that this | :50:12. | :50:15. | |
government is making Great Western Railway in education are top | :50:16. | :50:18. | |
priority? Can I ask more broadly about the trains in the South West? | :50:19. | :50:27. | |
I was pleased to visit my honourable friend and his constituency last | :50:28. | :50:32. | |
Thursday, not only his constituency but other areas in Wales. I believe | :50:33. | :50:36. | |
that the upgrade your going to see as far as the new trains ard going | :50:37. | :50:42. | |
to be very important and thd bimodal nature of them is that they are | :50:43. | :50:45. | |
going under testing at the loment, adult and Mowbray, and they are in | :50:46. | :50:51. | |
-- at Melton Mowbray, and they are very impressive trades which will | :50:52. | :50:54. | |
lead to a much improved service for his constituents and of those | :50:55. | :51:00. | |
through towards Swansea as well Disabled people are finding it | :51:01. | :51:04. | |
extremely difficult, increasingly more difficult, to access ptblic | :51:05. | :51:09. | |
transport in particularly btses Wheelchair users and those with | :51:10. | :51:13. | |
sight loss. Will the Ministdr consider encouraging bus colpanies | :51:14. | :51:18. | |
give more disability awarendss to their staff, and will he also | :51:19. | :51:22. | |
consider the possibility of statutory introduction of the | :51:23. | :51:30. | |
audiovisual announcements this - system in the up and coming bust | :51:31. | :51:37. | |
Bill? We should not just le`ve it to the bus companies to make stre that | :51:38. | :51:40. | |
disabled facilities are avahlable on the staff know how to get them to | :51:41. | :51:44. | |
disabled people. That is solething which is incumbent on all bts | :51:45. | :51:51. | |
companies to do. As far as the bust Bill, he will have to wait to see | :51:52. | :51:57. | |
when it is published. Mike hs vigilance in Peterborough ldaving | :51:58. | :52:01. | |
for their holidays at Stansted, would like to be tied to thdir | :52:02. | :52:06. | |
environment and give the ro`d is a new trains, but they often cannot do | :52:07. | :52:12. | |
so because the trains run too late for their flights at Stanstdd. Can I | :52:13. | :52:16. | |
ask him to have a word with the rail regulator to restate the importance | :52:17. | :52:21. | |
of rail and airport connecthvity? The honourable gentleman is | :52:22. | :52:24. | |
absolutely right and Stanstdd Airport with local MPs are lobbied | :52:25. | :52:27. | |
very hard to get that early morning service from Liverpool Stredt which | :52:28. | :52:33. | |
stop people sitting at the `irport to catch early flights. I whll | :52:34. | :52:37. | |
happily -- sleeping at the `irport. I will happily discuss this with | :52:38. | :52:43. | |
him. The committee on the mddical effects of air pollution estimate | :52:44. | :52:50. | |
that 60,000 deaths per year occur in Britain because of the effects of | :52:51. | :52:55. | |
air pollution, 20 times the number that were killed in all road traffic | :52:56. | :52:58. | |
accidents. The government states that they will not achieve their | :52:59. | :53:07. | |
legal limit on noxious fumes until the year 2030. Isn't this a | :53:08. | :53:09. | |
disgraceful situation and what if the government going to do to take | :53:10. | :53:12. | |
on Volkswagen, who have been accused of causing 12,000 avoidable deaths | :53:13. | :53:19. | |
in Britain alone grow -- by the gross deception of their vehicles, | :53:20. | :53:26. | |
and what is he doing to accdlerate the clear up of air pollution? I am | :53:27. | :53:30. | |
sure he has not forgotten that the biggest increase in the use of | :53:31. | :53:39. | |
diesel vehicles took place between 2000 and 2010. I am sure th`t he has | :53:40. | :53:45. | |
not forgotten that. The simple fact is, as I have said in the p`st, the | :53:46. | :53:48. | |
behaviour of false wagon is a disgrace, they have got -- | :53:49. | :53:54. | |
Volkswagen is a disgrace, they have got to put right what they have done | :53:55. | :53:57. | |
wrong and I have further medtings with them today to discuss that But | :53:58. | :54:02. | |
my right honourable friend provide an update on the availability of | :54:03. | :54:05. | |
funding through the new stations fund for the town of Wellington | :54:06. | :54:10. | |
because that would make an dxcellent candidate for a new station. There | :54:11. | :54:14. | |
is a great deal of interest and I am having a meeting tomorrow whth these | :54:15. | :54:17. | |
people and it would be great to give them more information. The | :54:18. | :54:23. | |
government made available ?20 million of further money for the new | :54:24. | :54:27. | |
station fund in the summer budget, it is absolutely up to local | :54:28. | :54:30. | |
authorities, local businessds to bring forward proposals for new | :54:31. | :54:33. | |
stations, we want to be rooted in the benefits they deliver to local | :54:34. | :54:38. | |
community. I would be delighted to review the proposal for Wellington | :54:39. | :54:40. | |
station and look forward to working with her. We would like to get new | :54:41. | :54:46. | |
stations built. One of the consequences of the catastrophic | :54:47. | :54:49. | |
floods in Cumbria has been the near disappearance of the road bdtween | :54:50. | :54:57. | |
Grasmere and Keswick which effectively cuts the Lake Dhstrict | :54:58. | :55:02. | |
in two, will the government consider applying for EU funding to bring | :55:03. | :55:05. | |
forward funds so we can makd sure we can reopen that road imminently so | :55:06. | :55:10. | |
the Lake District, which continues to be a marvellous place to spend | :55:11. | :55:13. | |
Christmas and New Year, can be reconnected? I will underst`nd the | :55:14. | :55:22. | |
honourable gentleman's concdrn as it affects his constituents, and the | :55:23. | :55:28. | |
thoughts are with his consthtuents as to the shape chaos they `re | :55:29. | :55:34. | |
facing in the area. We disctssed this on Monday, and we said that we | :55:35. | :55:40. | |
would look at it but I would be also looking for immediate help. My | :55:41. | :55:48. | |
honourable member friend thd ministry -- from the Ministry of | :55:49. | :55:51. | |
transport will be in the arda tomorrow. I was so encouragdd by | :55:52. | :55:55. | |
yesterday's announcement th`t two Northern Rail franchises ard to | :55:56. | :56:00. | |
receive a massive 120 million boost to rail services with 500 brand new | :56:01. | :56:07. | |
carriages, was that intended as a signal for the readers to the | :56:08. | :56:12. | |
Greater Anglia franchise as to what will be expected from them hf we are | :56:13. | :56:22. | |
going to ensure the region has a modern trends -- 21st century | :56:23. | :56:27. | |
transport system? In the interest of Christmas and brevity, the `nswer to | :56:28. | :56:34. | |
his question is yes. The Secretary of State will be aware that under | :56:35. | :56:40. | |
the current proposals for HS2, the journey time between crew and | :56:41. | :56:46. | |
Scotland will increase due to the changing and stock being usdd. Can | :56:47. | :56:51. | |
he commits to bringing forw`rd a different definitive timetable for | :56:52. | :57:03. | |
the upgrade works? When we do the next planning rounds for Network | :57:04. | :57:07. | |
Rail, these are some of the issues that he has referred to, and they | :57:08. | :57:10. | |
will be taken into account but we are doing is upgrade on the right # | :57:11. | :57:16. | |
Caroline now. Over Christmas I hope to go and see some of the | :57:17. | :57:18. | |
improvements that are taking place at Stafford which will help to | :57:19. | :57:22. | |
increase capacity further up the line. | :57:23. | :57:28. | |
Have the creation of the West Midlands combined authority has | :57:29. | :57:33. | |
created an opportunity to t`ke a strategic view of the transport | :57:34. | :57:37. | |
needs of the region, but wotld you also provide an opportunity for the | :57:38. | :57:42. | |
Department to work with loc`l operators to leave congestion? Any | :57:43. | :57:56. | |
interests of brevity, yes. @mong the franchises announced yesterday was | :57:57. | :58:00. | |
one and by the German state rail company. Can the Minister tdll the | :58:01. | :58:04. | |
house, what proportion of the ticket fare paid for by us will be used to | :58:05. | :58:11. | |
subsidise affairs paid for by German commuters? Are you going to complain | :58:12. | :58:23. | |
about the jobs it brings? I'm very pleased that British companhes are | :58:24. | :58:27. | |
winning real contracts in Gdrmany to provide services as well. I actually | :58:28. | :58:33. | |
believe the marketplace works. The announcements we made yesterday are | :58:34. | :58:38. | |
a seismic change in the service for both Northern and Trans-Pennine | :58:39. | :58:45. | |
Every local government leaddr in the area was in favour, most of them | :58:46. | :58:56. | |
Labour ones. Will you join le in welcoming the tunnel the and that | :58:57. | :59:01. | |
has been closed, will reopen next Monday, allowing for more trains and | :59:02. | :59:06. | |
longer trains? Absolutely. Ht is very difficult, as others now, to do | :59:07. | :59:12. | |
this upgrade work without disruption. Thank people for their | :59:13. | :59:17. | |
patience, but anyone who dotbts that this government is serious `bout the | :59:18. | :59:22. | |
transport system in the North, just needs to go there on Monday morning | :59:23. | :59:24. | |
when the trains start running through the tunnel again. The | :59:25. | :59:30. | |
Secretary of State will be `ware that in 2013, a police helicopter | :59:31. | :59:36. | |
plunge through the roof of ` bar in my constituency. The report had a | :59:37. | :59:42. | |
number of recommendations, hncluding installing black box recorddrs in | :59:43. | :59:49. | |
lease helicopters. When will this be implemented? I believe the report, | :59:50. | :59:57. | |
being in Scotland on the dax the report came out, and we've been able | :59:58. | :00:02. | |
to show there's nothing to stop police of all other local | :00:03. | :00:07. | |
authorities including that dquipment already in helicopters. I al working | :00:08. | :00:14. | |
with the Civil Aviation Authority to see how that is implemented. | :00:15. | :00:29. | |
The Secretary of State has `lready mentioned the work at Norton Bridge, | :00:30. | :00:38. | |
which has been undertaken excellently by Network Rail. But the | :00:39. | :00:48. | |
advance of the first stage of stage two of HS2, there's the question of | :00:49. | :00:53. | |
impact on the infrastructurd, particularly roads, around Stafford | :00:54. | :00:57. | |
and mid Staffordshire. But he meet with me to discuss this? I'l more | :00:58. | :01:03. | |
than happy to meet, we are hnvesting a huge amount in the infrastructure | :01:04. | :01:07. | |
and having been in Stafford just a few weeks ago, I can see sole of the | :01:08. | :01:12. | |
problems which she refers to. Don't ask the real minister to repeat the | :01:13. | :01:18. | |
figures she gave to the Council and transport safety conference this | :01:19. | :01:23. | |
week, about the appalling ntmber of suicides on a rail system and the | :01:24. | :01:27. | |
disruption and dreadful imp`ct that has, both on the victims of suicide, | :01:28. | :01:34. | |
but also on the travelling public? What I told the conference, he had | :01:35. | :01:39. | |
organised and can I commend him for his decades of work in this area, | :01:40. | :01:44. | |
was that every 30 hours, soleone takes a life on the rail network. It | :01:45. | :01:48. | |
is a tragedy both by the falilies of the victim, and the drivers and | :01:49. | :01:54. | |
staff, for whom it's a distressing experience. And the disrupthon for | :01:55. | :01:59. | |
travellers. I commend the work that Network Rail along with the | :02:00. | :02:04. | |
Samaritans is doing and we want to see this number come down. The | :02:05. | :02:15. | |
much-needed third crossing hn Lowestoft will be funded in the New | :02:16. | :02:19. | |
Year, but can you confirm that the fund will be up and running as | :02:20. | :02:24. | |
quickly as possible after Christmas? I most certainly can confirl it will | :02:25. | :02:35. | |
be up and running after Chrhstmas. I think this scheme he mentions is a | :02:36. | :02:36. | |
very strong candidate. To ask the Secretary of State for | :02:37. | :02:53. | |
Health if he will make a st`tement on the report of the investhgation | :02:54. | :02:57. | |
into deaths at Southern health NHS foundation trust. The whole house | :02:58. | :03:09. | |
will be profoundly shocked by this morning's allegations of a failure | :03:10. | :03:17. | |
to investigate over 1000 undxpected deaths by Southern Health Nhs | :03:18. | :03:26. | |
Foundation Trust. Following the death | :03:27. | :03:27. |