:00:11. > :00:21.Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the House of Commons. In
:00:22. > :00:35.one hour, an urgent question is being asked concerning the first
:00:36. > :00:42.pub's attributed the macro educateds attributed. Then, a statement from a
:00:43. > :00:48.minister for skills, Nick Bowles, on apprenticeships. MPs then move on to
:00:49. > :00:50.debate more of the details on the Northern Ireland hell, and later MPs
:00:51. > :00:54.return to the debate on keeping copies of legislation. The motion
:00:55. > :00:59.regrets the Lord's decision to discontinue the use of Val, the
:01:00. > :01:06.parchment made from calfskin. Don't forget to join me for a round-up of
:01:07. > :01:08.the day at 11pm. First, questions to the Secretary of State for
:01:09. > :01:24.Transport, Patrick MacLachlan and his ministerial team.
:01:25. > :01:36.-- vellum. Questions to be Secretary of State for Transport. Highways
:01:37. > :01:43.England's delivery plans set out how it would deliver the ?15 billion
:01:44. > :01:47.road investment strategy. Work is underway on 19 major schemes,
:01:48. > :01:53.several of which started this financial year as planned. Chronic
:01:54. > :02:00.congestion causes delays to thousands of commuters on the 27 at
:02:01. > :02:05.junctions nine and iron, and with Fareham set to C 6000 new homes at
:02:06. > :02:10.Welbourne and thousands more at North Whiteley, what steps are you
:02:11. > :02:15.taking to ensure vital upgrades to this piece of infrastructure are
:02:16. > :02:19.carried out as a matter of priority? I know this particular scheme is of
:02:20. > :02:22.interest to my honourable friend. The departments is working with
:02:23. > :02:29.highways England and Hampshire County Council on a way forward is
:02:30. > :02:35.to improvements to junction nine on the M25 in. I will ensure you are
:02:36. > :02:40.kept informed of progress. A separate scheme to improve junction
:02:41. > :02:44.ten of the M27 is being funded by private developer and the local
:02:45. > :02:47.enterprise partnership, but I am more than happy to continue keeping
:02:48. > :02:59.my honourable friend updated on this matter. Is the Minister will know,
:03:00. > :03:02.junctions 12 to 14 of the M26 have seen accidents in recent years and
:03:03. > :03:06.there is a need for some form of managed motorway so do you share
:03:07. > :03:11.disappointment that a publication this week makes no mention of this?
:03:12. > :03:18.When will his department to take action? I will look at the
:03:19. > :03:24.individual points you have raised but I think the very fact that we
:03:25. > :03:27.have a road investment strategy far superior to anything that existed
:03:28. > :03:32.before 2010, I would have thought you would have welcomed that was not
:03:33. > :03:38.will my right honourable friend except that my constituents are
:03:39. > :03:47.warmly welcoming the investment being made in upgrading the A12 to
:03:48. > :03:53.three lanes? -- accept. Can you advise me when you expect phase one
:03:54. > :04:02.from the M25 to the southern border of Chelmsford to commence progress?
:04:03. > :04:07.I am grateful for his point. In December 2014, the government
:04:08. > :04:20.announced a scheme to widen the A12 from junction 20 82 Chelmsford. --
:04:21. > :04:25.28th. The scheme will be developed until 2020 and we expect the next
:04:26. > :04:33.period to be developed until March 20 25. What assessment he has the
:04:34. > :04:42.departments made of the M66 and M6 is south of that, which is called
:04:43. > :04:48.the busiest road? It is jam-packed from 6am until 10am every morning,
:04:49. > :04:51.what is being done to resolve this situation? Investment on a far
:04:52. > :05:01.greater scale than ever imagine by the party he supported in government
:05:02. > :05:04.is the simple fact. The ?16 billion is greater investment than we have
:05:05. > :05:12.seen in our road network for a number of years. One of the critical
:05:13. > :05:16.parts of the road investment strategy is to improve safety and on
:05:17. > :05:18.that note could I ask the secretary of state to look at safety
:05:19. > :05:25.particularly over the last few months at the junction of the A303
:05:26. > :05:31.and A34, and there have been a number of accidents there and I
:05:32. > :05:34.believe safety can be improved. I am more than happy to ask officials to
:05:35. > :05:41.look at that and I will report back to you. The road investment strategy
:05:42. > :05:46.is really important but we know that every journey begins on a local road
:05:47. > :05:51.and the vast majority of journeys are made on local roads and some are
:05:52. > :05:55.in quite a state. Last November, two great fanfare, the pothole fund was
:05:56. > :06:00.announced, and we hope it is permanent action on potholes. Can
:06:01. > :06:04.you tell us how much is being drawn down by councils on that pothole
:06:05. > :06:12.front? How many have been filled in so far? He wants devolution and then
:06:13. > :06:19.he once the government to say exactly what is local authorities
:06:20. > :06:24.should do in every circumstance. The simple fact is that between 2015 and
:06:25. > :06:31.2020, allegations have been made to local authorities of ?6 billion.
:06:32. > :06:35.Between 2010 and 2015, that was ?4 billion. Between 2005 and 2010, the
:06:36. > :06:40.amount allocated to local authorities for road maintenance was
:06:41. > :06:44.?3 billion. I think he will see from that a significant increase in what
:06:45. > :06:51.this government is giving for road maintenance. I thought he would have
:06:52. > :06:54.welcomed it. Will my right honourable friend recognise the
:06:55. > :07:00.urgent need for clarity about the capacity of junction eight on the
:07:01. > :07:06.M11 motorway and the possibility of there being a junction seven hey
:07:07. > :07:11.because these have a bearing on decisions being made against a
:07:12. > :07:20.deadline by local authorities on local plans? -- 7A. I am grateful he
:07:21. > :07:23.raised the case and I will write to my honourable friend on what
:07:24. > :07:34.progress is being made on the exact location. This department is
:07:35. > :07:37.providing over ?7 billion to the devolved local road fund which will
:07:38. > :07:42.fund over 500 local transit or projects by the end of this
:07:43. > :07:46.Parliament. It includes ?475 million for transformational schemes that
:07:47. > :07:53.are too large for the devolved allegations. We will provide further
:07:54. > :08:03.details very soon. May I make a plea to the Minister, when will some of
:08:04. > :08:08.the ?75 million be used to reduce noise pollution, identified by
:08:09. > :08:18.Highways England on the A47 through Peterborough? It is part of the
:08:19. > :08:23.strategic road network so it is not part of the money I just announced
:08:24. > :08:28.but in November 2014, the Chancellor announced money for the A47,
:08:29. > :08:32.including the section between the A1 and Peterborough. In terms of noise
:08:33. > :08:36.pollution, the government has challenged Highways England to
:08:37. > :08:44.mitigate noise in 1000 locations, and reductions could mean barriers
:08:45. > :08:47.and new services. Transport North published a report this week which
:08:48. > :08:51.looks at both local and regional links and act is to the national
:08:52. > :08:57.network and it puts forward ambitious schemes for improvements
:08:58. > :09:01.to rail transport between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, and better
:09:02. > :09:08.access to the high-speed network, what kind of coordination will there
:09:09. > :09:11.be to make sure it happens? Eight road and rail, particularly in terms
:09:12. > :09:17.of freight and HS2 will open up new freight part which can be used to
:09:18. > :09:25.take the pressure of the roads, so coordination on that is vital and
:09:26. > :09:35.wee -- and we are working with Transport North, and I am unliveable
:09:36. > :09:39.later on today. -- paths. It is easier to access the tens of
:09:40. > :09:44.thousands of jobs travelling from the East End, what support can the
:09:45. > :09:48.Minister give my residence on Canvey Island who have been campaigning for
:09:49. > :09:57.a third road for many decades? New road infrastructure can warm the
:09:58. > :10:00.economy and prove like macro -- and provide access to jobs and we will
:10:01. > :10:04.announce further funding options is very soon. I hope the honourable
:10:05. > :10:08.lady will continue to make the coast case for this project with the local
:10:09. > :10:12.enterprise partnership and County Council. The port facilities are
:10:13. > :10:19.superb and it is important we give them the infrastructure to back them
:10:20. > :10:22.up. Large infrastructure projects have been the hallmark of the
:10:23. > :10:26.Scottish Government since they came to power in 2007, too many to list
:10:27. > :10:34.here. Issues such as the Borders rail link, the trunk Link road, and
:10:35. > :10:40.the Pope to Inverness a nine Juli Inkster. Scotland is investing twice
:10:41. > :10:45.as much on transport as England and this includes active travel projects
:10:46. > :10:52.like cycling. -- A9. Last year, the government made an announcement of a
:10:53. > :10:55.new access funds, up to 2021. Can the government clear up the
:10:56. > :11:01.confusion by when this fund is going to go ahead? It is interesting you
:11:02. > :11:05.did not mention the high-speed rail line between Edinburgh and Glasgow
:11:06. > :11:11.which has been conveniently shelved. SNP control Perth and Kinross
:11:12. > :11:17.Council and they have decided that potholes have to be 60 millimetres
:11:18. > :11:22.deep before they fill them in. That indicates what their priorities
:11:23. > :11:26.might be in some cases. The Minister and I may disagree on many things
:11:27. > :11:31.but one of the things we agree on the benefits of cycling. The cycle
:11:32. > :11:35.to work scheme has been a popular and progressive policy and credits
:11:36. > :11:41.to the government for continuing with that. In the summer budget, the
:11:42. > :11:46.treasurer said it was monitoring sacrifice arrangements because they
:11:47. > :11:50.were becoming increasingly popular. Aggressive policies in Scotland are
:11:51. > :11:54.something the government support there. Can the Minister confirm that
:11:55. > :11:59.he is working to make sure the Chancellor protects cycling to work
:12:00. > :12:02.schemes in the forthcoming budget? I think you may have to be patient and
:12:03. > :12:07.wait for the budget but I feel the cycle to work scheme is a good
:12:08. > :12:12.scheme and large numbers of people are using the cycle is to get to
:12:13. > :12:23.work and it is a good way to reduce congestion on our roads.
:12:24. > :12:29.The Government understands the importance of affordable transport,
:12:30. > :12:33.and we have capped rail fares at the level of RPI for two years running,
:12:34. > :12:39.and will do so for the life of this Parliament. Decisions regarding the
:12:40. > :12:42.setting of fares are by merrily a decision for commercial operators.
:12:43. > :12:47.Almost ?1 billion is provided each year to fund concessionary travel
:12:48. > :12:55.including free bus travel for the elderly and disabled. More than 2500
:12:56. > :13:00.people commute into Bradford, and 7000 commute out of Bradford by
:13:01. > :13:03.rail. Fast, cheap and efficient connections with the rest of the
:13:04. > :13:10.region are vital for jobs and the local economy. What is the minute --
:13:11. > :13:14.what is the minister doing to make sure that this happens, considering
:13:15. > :13:21.that rail fares across the country have gone up by 25%, while
:13:22. > :13:26.punctuality has deteriorated? Well, I know the city of Bradford very
:13:27. > :13:30.well, having got to school there and I lived just outside it for many
:13:31. > :13:32.years. I would have thought the honourable gentleman would be
:13:33. > :13:36.welcoming the investment we are seeing in rail. Apperley Bridge
:13:37. > :13:41.railway station only just opened in his constituency. So we are seeing
:13:42. > :13:45.investment right across the north, including in West Yorkshire,
:13:46. > :13:49.including the ability to keep fares down for the Metro region. I will
:13:50. > :13:58.repeat my point about how we have regulated and capped rail fares. One
:13:59. > :14:02.of the problems for local bus passengers is congestion and delays.
:14:03. > :14:07.People in Kettering always say that when the traffic lights stop
:14:08. > :14:12.working, the traffic flows much better. Given that the minister is
:14:13. > :14:15.responsible for local roads, will he consider undertaking a pilot where
:14:16. > :14:23.we can switch traffic lights off and get traffic and buses flowing more
:14:24. > :14:26.freely? That is a very ingenious link into the cost of public
:14:27. > :14:30.transport, Mr Speaker. I hear it quite regularly in my own area as
:14:31. > :14:35.well that traffic is said to flow more freely when traffic lights do
:14:36. > :14:42.not work. I have major reservations on this argument, I have to say. At
:14:43. > :14:46.the same time, we are seeing initiatives to keep traffic flowing.
:14:47. > :14:50.I will have a look at what my honourable friend says, but traffic
:14:51. > :14:57.lights are a key ingredient in road safety. People in Yorkshire would
:14:58. > :15:02.not mind paying the fares on a good trans pen I link. Indeed ministers
:15:03. > :15:06.have already said they will be using that kind of transport tomorrow. I
:15:07. > :15:10.hope they will stop off in Huddersfield to celebrate the
:15:11. > :15:15.centenary of Harold Wilsons's berth, which is tomorrow. We would not mind
:15:16. > :15:22.paying the fares if the delivery of the service was fast, efficient and
:15:23. > :15:25.comfortable. The honourable member has forgotten I think the investment
:15:26. > :15:31.which is being made and the improvements which are coming
:15:32. > :15:36.through the franchise. Both of those see significant improvements for
:15:37. > :15:43.Huddersfield, including London connections. Would he agree that
:15:44. > :15:46.thanks to the governments action to increases, wages are now rising
:15:47. > :15:54.faster than rail fares for the first time since 2003? He makes as wise a
:15:55. > :15:57.point as ever. We are trying to make sure that regulator rail fares are
:15:58. > :16:01.affordable. We are seeing a wide range of tickets on offer, including
:16:02. > :16:06.some very low-priced fares which can be bought in advance, allowing more
:16:07. > :16:11.people to travel by rail. You only have to look at passenger number
:16:12. > :16:17.grows to see how it is working. Figures for Northern Ireland show
:16:18. > :16:27.that passenger numbers have fallen. Outside of London, numbers have
:16:28. > :16:31.fallen. Can I ask the minister, what steps can he take to encourage more
:16:32. > :16:34.people to cycle or walk to work where possible and encourage
:16:35. > :16:40.healthier lifestyles? Well, we have an element in the road investment
:16:41. > :16:43.strategy to promote cycling. We have our own cycling and walking
:16:44. > :16:56.strategy, which the minister has already referred to.
:16:57. > :17:02.Telford has more than 1 million passengers each year. I was pleased
:17:03. > :17:08.to negotiate services with virgin trains in 2014 from Shrewsbury to
:17:09. > :17:12.London via Telford and Birmingham. We are currently running a public
:17:13. > :17:16.consultation to help specify the next West Midlands franchise. We
:17:17. > :17:28.will launch a consultation on the new west coast franchise in June. I
:17:29. > :17:34.thank the minister for his reply. Telford is a rapidly growing new
:17:35. > :17:38.town and it is 26 miles from Birmingham, and yet it takes 51
:17:39. > :17:41.minutes to get there. Will the minister continue to work with me to
:17:42. > :17:49.make sure we have a 21st century rail system for Telford? I most
:17:50. > :17:53.certainly will. I recognise the growing importance of connectivity
:17:54. > :17:58.between cities. The point which my honourable friend makes about
:17:59. > :18:03.Telford and the relationship with Birmingham is very, very important
:18:04. > :18:06.indeed. The Secretary of State knows Wolverhampton well because of his
:18:07. > :18:11.youth and because he fought a Parliamentary seat there. He will
:18:12. > :18:14.know that trains from Telford to Wolverhampton to Birmingham to
:18:15. > :18:17.London are far slower than trains from Stafford to London because of
:18:18. > :18:28.the bottleneck through the West Midlands. When will the government
:18:29. > :18:34.get around to quad-tracking the commentary to Birmingham corridor? I
:18:35. > :18:37.do know the area well, but we have seen major investment in the West
:18:38. > :18:43.Midlands. The new service which I have just referred to, which is
:18:44. > :18:46.re-establishing a service from Shrewsbury via Telford, was very
:18:47. > :18:52.welcome. But he is right, there are always demands for extra investment,
:18:53. > :18:58.and that has to be measured with the record investment we are putting
:18:59. > :19:04.into our railways. Cannock Chase is also connected to Birmingham with a
:19:05. > :19:07.local line via Telford. It is a service which my right honourable
:19:08. > :19:13.friend knows incredibly well. Users of that line report multiple issues
:19:14. > :19:19.including late, overcrowded and cancelled trains. Can my right
:19:20. > :19:25.honourable friend confirm that the electrification project is on course
:19:26. > :19:30.for completion by 2017? I am grateful. I was in her constituency
:19:31. > :19:39.just a few weeks ago. I had noticed on that occasion how the line which
:19:40. > :19:45.runs through Hednesford to Cannock has already had its work started on
:19:46. > :19:50.electrification, not least in Stafford lane and down by Brinley
:19:51. > :20:01.Heath. I do know the area very well. It is where I grew up. The
:20:02. > :20:04.governments ambition is for the UK to have the facilities and
:20:05. > :20:14.regulatory environment in place for commercial space in this Parliament.
:20:15. > :20:22.There is the aim of announcing the process for spaceport selection
:20:23. > :20:31.later this year. As the member for Argyll and be, I will continue to
:20:32. > :20:36.champion the location in my constituency to be the UK spaceport.
:20:37. > :20:41.It has considerable advantages, including a three kilometre runway
:20:42. > :20:45.and the backing of the community. When will the next stage of this the
:20:46. > :20:51.announced, and can hear sure all of those working so hard to bring this
:20:52. > :20:58.project that the government is still 100% committed to the creation of a
:20:59. > :21:02.UK spaceport? I can certainly confirm that. The Department of
:21:03. > :21:11.Transport has made an initial allocation of ?5 million to fund it.
:21:12. > :21:19.I think it is a great opportunity. We are already world leaders in
:21:20. > :21:22.space technology. This is a further step in pushing forward the barriers
:21:23. > :21:34.of Jewish involvement in the space race. -- of British involvement. Can
:21:35. > :21:37.I thank the minister for his recent visit to Cornwall and Newquay
:21:38. > :21:42.airport? Can he confirm that he went away with a clear message, that not
:21:43. > :21:45.only can Cornwall accommodate the spaceport but is very ambitious to
:21:46. > :21:50.be the English bid for the spaceport? Suddenly I got a clear
:21:51. > :21:55.message and was taken up by the enthusiasm of the people at new K. I
:21:56. > :22:01.know there are other airports interested in this. I did notice
:22:02. > :22:12.when I was at Prestwick, it seemed quite quiet when I was there. We are
:22:13. > :22:17.very aware of the importance of bus services to rural communities. We
:22:18. > :22:20.were able to protect the bus service operators grant funding as part of
:22:21. > :22:25.the spending review last year. The government paid out ?250 million
:22:26. > :22:31.last year to support bus services, of which around ?40 million is paid
:22:32. > :22:35.directly to local authorities. I think the minister for that
:22:36. > :22:40.response. Will you agree to look into the provision of buses in rural
:22:41. > :22:44.parts of my constituency for local students travelling to school,
:22:45. > :22:50.compared with national averages, and advise on how we can improve this?
:22:51. > :22:54.All children aged between five and 16 qualifying for free school
:22:55. > :22:57.transport if they attend their nearest school and it is
:22:58. > :23:01.sufficiently far from their home. The decision to provide further
:23:02. > :23:05.services would be a matter for the local authority, and some do, such
:23:06. > :23:09.as the Stafford Justine. But there is an issue which is concerning my
:23:10. > :23:16.honourable friend and I would be happy to meet with him to explore it
:23:17. > :23:26.further. One section of our population which is disadvantaged by
:23:27. > :23:32.poor rural services is young people. What is the government doing on
:23:33. > :23:35.this? There is a mixture of support coming through national government
:23:36. > :23:39.and through local government. Individual local authorities decide
:23:40. > :23:45.their funding priorities, but local authorities in England spent an
:23:46. > :23:49.average of ?330 million per year over the last three years supporting
:23:50. > :23:59.bus services. 42% of bus income comes from public funds. Could I
:24:00. > :24:04.invite the minister to look at rural bus service provision in eddies
:24:05. > :24:08.brief, where cuts have meant that apprenticeships cannot access
:24:09. > :24:19.apprenticeships and college students cannot get to the local college
:24:20. > :24:26.without having to change two buses? -- Eddisbury. I would be very happy
:24:27. > :24:32.to meet with my honourable friend. Access to bus services is very
:24:33. > :24:37.important to all. Government tax makes up 70% of the cost of fuel.
:24:38. > :24:43.Does the minister agree there should be a continued freeze in fuel duty
:24:44. > :24:47.to help improve costs for bus services in rural areas? Fuel duty
:24:48. > :24:53.itself might be something which the Chancellor would wish to consider. I
:24:54. > :24:58.can highlight the bus service operators grant, which used to be
:24:59. > :25:04.caught the fuel duty rebate, which provides 34.5p subsidy per litre of
:25:05. > :25:13.fuel used. So we are supporting local authorities and bus companies
:25:14. > :25:16.through that mechanism. Subsidy for all 118 supported bus routes in
:25:17. > :25:24.Oxfordshire is being withdrawn. Earlier this week I travelled on the
:25:25. > :25:26.popular 215 service along with the excellent Labour and co-operative
:25:27. > :25:30.councillors who are campaigning to protect their local bus networks.
:25:31. > :25:33.Will the minister join me in welcoming the fact that some
:25:34. > :25:37.additional funding has now been secured for local transport on a
:25:38. > :25:43.cross-party basis? And does he agree that when the Buses Bill is
:25:44. > :25:46.published, it must address the severe challenges facing rural bus
:25:47. > :25:52.services, including in the Prime Minister's in situ and see? I would
:25:53. > :26:00.just like to remind the honourable lady -- constituency -- that this
:26:01. > :26:02.service has been protected. I am always lead to hear that local
:26:03. > :26:11.authorities are supporting their bus services. We should be supporting
:26:12. > :26:19.local authorities in deciding their funding priorities. Mr Speaker, I am
:26:20. > :26:23.really proud that under Conservative-led governments since
:26:24. > :26:26.2010, my department has made almost ?400 million available through
:26:27. > :26:35.programmes like the national stage and improvement programme, the New
:26:36. > :26:38.Stations Fund the Access For All scheme. In addition, we have
:26:39. > :26:45.franchise commitments and substantial growth funding. What is
:26:46. > :26:51.she doing to make sure that the rail franchise holders bear their fair
:26:52. > :26:54.Chair to maintain the rail structure wallet but will show we should look
:26:55. > :26:59.at how the project in Coventry is working out regarding the frequency
:27:00. > :27:05.of train stops at the Ricoh Arena. Will she have a look at that?
:27:06. > :27:12.Improvements to stations are part of the projects. The honourable
:27:13. > :27:15.gentleman has benefited locally with Virgin West Coast installation of
:27:16. > :27:20.automatic ticket machines in commentary. I was pleased to
:27:21. > :27:24.participate in the opening of the Coventry Arena which the DFT
:27:25. > :27:29.contributed ?5 million, the first stage of the vital knuckle scheme,
:27:30. > :27:33.and that scheme was 14 years on paper under Labour, delivered under
:27:34. > :27:44.this government, Angstrom the amazing efforts of the MP for
:27:45. > :27:46.Nuneaton. -- thanks to. When we consider railway station
:27:47. > :27:53.refurbishment is, we should prioritise disabled access. In my
:27:54. > :27:57.constituency, there is not a single accessible rail station so in the
:27:58. > :28:02.renewal of the South Western Route franchise, would the consider
:28:03. > :28:07.prioritising disabled access at our train stations? I am glad you share
:28:08. > :28:18.my excitement about improvements. We set up the the funds and I am happy
:28:19. > :28:26.to meet with my honourable friend to discuss. I have nine train stations
:28:27. > :28:33.in my agency and half of them are completely unacceptable or people in
:28:34. > :28:35.wheelchairs -- for people in wheelchairs. The funding has been
:28:36. > :28:43.cut in half, are we doing enough on this? I dispute that the funding has
:28:44. > :28:46.been cut in half, the first phase, ?400 million, was delivered, and I
:28:47. > :28:49.am keen to look at cost effective ways to improve access for disabled
:28:50. > :28:57.people and young mothers with babies for whom a flight of stairs can be a
:28:58. > :29:05.real drag. I am happy to discuss it further. Residents in Torbay have
:29:06. > :29:13.welcomed investment at Torquay station but a station in Paignton
:29:14. > :29:17.was an old good steads shed converted into a station. Will you
:29:18. > :29:24.meet to decide how we can make it a terminus for the 21st centric? The
:29:25. > :29:27.best way to deliver station improvements is to get together
:29:28. > :29:33.local groups, businesses and communities. The government money is
:29:34. > :29:40.best spent when it is called through to support local needs. -- century.
:29:41. > :29:44.What assurance can the Minister give that on the refurbishment of railway
:29:45. > :29:47.stations, the objective of gaining full accessibility for passengers
:29:48. > :29:52.with disabilities is embedded within the process is a priority so where
:29:53. > :29:59.there are stations without access provision or where the needs are
:30:00. > :30:03.central to the refurbishment of the station? How can that be achieved
:30:04. > :30:11.given the 40% cut to access for all funding? I sometimes wonder if we
:30:12. > :30:16.are reading the same papers and this government is spending more on the
:30:17. > :30:19.railways, ?38 billion, and has been spent at any time since the
:30:20. > :30:24.Victorian era. You are right to point out that accessibility is
:30:25. > :30:29.important, and all of the train fleet will be compliance within the
:30:30. > :30:33.next few years. It is important to stop we have a limited amount of
:30:34. > :30:42.money to spend, and upgrading the railway which was woefully neglected
:30:43. > :30:48.under his last government. There is already legislation prohibiting the
:30:49. > :30:52.use of lasers on aircraft. It is an offence to direct or shine any
:30:53. > :30:56.lights at any aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot.
:30:57. > :31:03.Anybody found guilty of the offence could be liable for a fine of a
:31:04. > :31:06.maximum of ?2500. Anybody found guilty of endangering an aircraft
:31:07. > :31:12.could also be liable for five years in prison but we will keep this
:31:13. > :31:17.under review of course. I welcome the previous changes that I backed
:31:18. > :31:22.but the fact is that more needs to be done. Half of pilots over the
:31:23. > :31:31.last year have reported a laser pen attack. Perhaps licensing or
:31:32. > :31:36.classification should be considered to put a stop to these dangerous
:31:37. > :31:40.practices. A number of measures are being considered across government
:31:41. > :31:46.departments, it is something I take very seriously, particularly in
:31:47. > :31:50.light of recent events reported. Following my conversation with the
:31:51. > :31:53.secretary of state for just this, I put forward a Bill to make sure
:31:54. > :31:58.high-powered laser pens are prohibited item. Will the secretary
:31:59. > :32:03.of State speak with him to see if the Bill can be taken forward? The
:32:04. > :32:08.member opposite makes the point that it is about the accessibility of
:32:09. > :32:12.certain types of laser pens which should be controlled. I'm aware of
:32:13. > :32:16.the Bill and I can assure him that not only will I talk to the
:32:17. > :32:20.Secretary of State for Justice but we are talking to other departments
:32:21. > :32:25.as well. This issue is something which is taken very seriously
:32:26. > :32:33.indeed, and I will also listen to representations made to the
:32:34. > :32:39.Department by the CAA. This issue has had coverage in the media over
:32:40. > :32:42.the last few months, the number of incidents has rocketed and no more
:32:43. > :32:47.so than in my neighbouring Glasgow where there were more are aircraft
:32:48. > :32:53.targeted in the first two months of this year than the whole of last
:32:54. > :32:56.year. Have you made any representations to the Scottish
:32:57. > :33:02.Government and can you show it to the House? I am more than happy to
:33:03. > :33:05.ensure the Scottish Government is consulted if further measures are
:33:06. > :33:09.taken. This is something that is taken seriously by all sides of the
:33:10. > :33:24.House, and I welcome the point the honourable lady has made. I have no
:33:25. > :33:30.plans. The secretary of state will be aware that Treasury backed sure
:33:31. > :33:39.reports, the final version published next week about the financing of
:33:40. > :33:43.railways has made it clear that full privatisation of Network Rail is on
:33:44. > :33:47.the table. -- Shaw. I am sure the Minister will agree that we do not
:33:48. > :33:53.want to go back the dark chaotic days of the private management of
:33:54. > :33:59.our rail system under Railtrack and will he commits himself to reject
:34:00. > :34:06.any new recommendations that leads to the privatisation of Network
:34:07. > :34:08.Rail? I would like to congratulate the honourable member of seeing a
:34:09. > :34:17.report which has not been published yet X macro how he knows what the
:34:18. > :34:21.content is is beyond me! I am proud with what we have achieved with the
:34:22. > :34:24.rail industry in this country, it has been a fantastic success with
:34:25. > :34:29.the franchising that takes place, I am very sorry that the only people
:34:30. > :34:34.putting it at danger are not the government that the opposition. Does
:34:35. > :34:37.my right honourable friend agree that evidence from other sectors
:34:38. > :34:44.shows that privatisation has the potential to increase efficiency and
:34:45. > :34:50.improve performance? Ie Do agree but I also think there is obviously
:34:51. > :34:56.responsibility the four a system of railway maintenance and improvements
:34:57. > :35:02.that is very important, and we have seen through the private sector,
:35:03. > :35:05.vast improvements. At the time of radicalisation of our railways,
:35:06. > :35:09.there were 700 and million people using trains and last year there
:35:10. > :35:13.were 1.6 billion and that figure is growing year on year so I do not
:35:14. > :35:19.have to be convinced about the advantages of the system which has
:35:20. > :35:23.evolved over a number of years of using the private sector, and I will
:35:24. > :35:26.look at other ways we can involve the private sector in providing a
:35:27. > :35:33.better railways nervous for our constituents. Network Rail has
:35:34. > :35:39.confirmed it has considered selling up to 18 major stations and a number
:35:40. > :35:44.of other asset as it struggles to plug the 2.5 billion budget black
:35:45. > :35:47.hole, would you like to comment on that? The way you talk about the
:35:48. > :35:56.black hole, we are investing over this way away period some ?38
:35:57. > :36:04.billion in Network Rail. -- railways. I don't see anything wrong
:36:05. > :36:08.with that and indeed there were a number of asset sales which took
:36:09. > :36:17.place under the last government as well. When the secretary of state
:36:18. > :36:21.reads the Shaw report, I hope he recognises the words of the great
:36:22. > :36:25.railway manager who said that when you reorganise you bleed, and for
:36:26. > :36:28.many months, the few top people who keep their momentum up are
:36:29. > :36:35.distracted from their proper job, punctuality goes to hell, said he
:36:36. > :36:40.slips, don't reorganise, don't, don't, don't. There is broad
:36:41. > :36:45.cross-party support for investment in railways, maintaining the safety
:36:46. > :36:48.record and delivering projects like HS2, so will he give me reassurance
:36:49. > :36:54.that the progress that has been made will not be jeopardised by pursuing
:36:55. > :37:00.a needed, unneeded, and unwonted plans to privatise Network Rail? I
:37:01. > :37:06.can tell you with absolute certainty there are no plans to continue a
:37:07. > :37:10.disastrous policy of nationalising the railways, which is one she puts
:37:11. > :37:15.forward and her party leader puts forward. She talks about all the
:37:16. > :37:18.investment going on and she has seen quite a bit of it in her own
:37:19. > :37:24.constituency, not least at Nottingham station and which she
:37:25. > :37:28.welcomed that investment, of course she did, I welcome investment in our
:37:29. > :37:33.railways, but it is also worthwhile asking how we carry on that level of
:37:34. > :37:44.investment, an investment at a level which she would only have dreamt of
:37:45. > :37:47.when she was in government. Mr Speaker, in the north-west, the
:37:48. > :37:51.first ever electric trains are running between Liverpool and
:37:52. > :37:56.Manchester and between Liverpool and Wigan, and the tunnel is now open,
:37:57. > :38:00.further proof that this government's commitments to electrification, part
:38:01. > :38:04.of the biggest investment since Victorian times. Network Rail last
:38:05. > :38:09.month marked a milestone with the introduction of brand-new trains
:38:10. > :38:16.which completed 1377 foundations needed for the overhead line
:38:17. > :38:22.electrification towards Didcot. Thank you for the answer. I have to
:38:23. > :38:27.note that in the Transport for the North document, the focus is on
:38:28. > :38:32.large cities. If the fast-growing regions of Cheshire should not be
:38:33. > :38:35.squeezed out, would you look again at the possibility of better
:38:36. > :38:42.electrification programme that includes areas not mentioned? I
:38:43. > :38:47.thought I mention quite a few. The truth is that the investment which
:38:48. > :38:52.is taking place in the northern hub, the redevelopment of Manchester
:38:53. > :38:54.Victoria station, does do a lot to increase connectivity across the
:38:55. > :38:58.North West and that links up a number of the towns which the
:38:59. > :39:04.honourable member refers to directly into our northern cities. Rail
:39:05. > :39:13.commuters in my constituency have put up with severe overcrowding or
:39:14. > :39:16.many years. Because of the delay, can the government examine whether
:39:17. > :39:26.there is any rolling stock available to alleviate overcrowding? We are
:39:27. > :39:30.looking at all problems relating to rolling stock as a result of any
:39:31. > :39:34.delays in the finalisation of electrification. There is a large
:39:35. > :39:40.amount of new rolling stock coming onto our railways over the next five
:39:41. > :39:44.years, not used the new trains but also the new trains on Thames Link,
:39:45. > :39:49.the Siemens contract which is being developed at the moment and coming
:39:50. > :39:54.into operation later this year. There was an awful lot of
:39:55. > :39:56.engineering work to be carried on in Manchester and that will almost
:39:57. > :40:02.certainly require the re-routing of trains through to big Tory while
:40:03. > :40:07.that work takes place. When that happens and we consider using the
:40:08. > :40:11.line through reddish South and Denton stations which are currently
:40:12. > :40:16.served by one train a week in one direction only? If it can be
:40:17. > :40:24.re-routed can they please stop at the stations so we can assess the
:40:25. > :40:31.passionate Amant there is there? -- passenger demand. If it is such a
:40:32. > :40:38.bad experience, I am sorry that you have not got better services in the
:40:39. > :40:42.past. I am always willing to look at any suggestions but can I make the
:40:43. > :40:44.point that the first point you made was a serious point, about the
:40:45. > :40:52.problems... LAUGHTER The point that he makes
:40:53. > :40:57.about the problems as far as work being carried out on the railways,
:40:58. > :41:00.engineering work, which does lead to inconvenience while the work is
:41:01. > :41:05.carried out, and that is something we do address, and is something I
:41:06. > :41:14.readily talk to the chief Executive and chairman of network rail about.
:41:15. > :41:16.No progress has been made on the electrification in Northern
:41:17. > :41:21.Lincolnshire which is probably one of the reasons why the recent
:41:22. > :41:28.railway magazine had headlines saying railways truly bad for
:41:29. > :41:33.Grimsby. The transport for the North publication this week does not even
:41:34. > :41:37.include northern Lincolnshire routes on its map. Can you assure me that
:41:38. > :41:45.more will be done to improve services to my constituency? Indeed.
:41:46. > :41:49.After a successful campaign, we did manage when we renegotiated the
:41:50. > :41:54.franchises or his area, to protect the services in his area, and I know
:41:55. > :41:59.he has always pressed for greater services to his constituency. It is
:42:00. > :42:01.something I will look up, particularly when the new franchise
:42:02. > :42:14.starts operating later in the year. A great deal of work has already be
:42:15. > :42:19.completed. Actual construction will start next year. Tempted as I am to
:42:20. > :42:23.propose that the government build HS2 some time in the Parliament
:42:24. > :42:27.after next, when it will be seen for the white elephant that it is, then
:42:28. > :42:31.he just reassure me that there is time enough to deal with all the
:42:32. > :42:34.environment of impacts of HS2, for example the construction impact, in
:42:35. > :42:41.the historic village of West Wycombe in my constituency? He did promise
:42:42. > :42:46.me an impatient supplementary question and I was not disappointed.
:42:47. > :42:49.We will have no net environmental loss during the construction.
:42:50. > :42:53.Indeed, 2 million trees will be planted as part of the phase one
:42:54. > :42:57.construction. This is a project that we can be proud of and which people
:42:58. > :43:04.up and down the country will value as part of our economic plans. I
:43:05. > :43:09.rather like elephants, white or otherwise. Let's look at the
:43:10. > :43:12.building of phase two of HS2. Secretary of State has said in the
:43:13. > :43:15.past that serious consideration would be given to the possibility of
:43:16. > :43:21.beginning construction on the northern part of HS2 phase two
:43:22. > :43:27.between Sheffield and Leeds in parallel with work on the southern
:43:28. > :43:31.part? How far has that serious consideration now got, and is there
:43:32. > :43:35.a real positivity that work between Sheffield and Leeds could begin
:43:36. > :43:39.before the very end of the project? It is important that we prioritise
:43:40. > :43:44.the Birmingham bit because that is where the congestion is and that is
:43:45. > :43:47.where the real benefits are. Those trains will run through two stations
:43:48. > :43:53.in the north, and to Scotland, from day one. It is important that we
:43:54. > :43:56.look at how we can deliver this. Indeed, some of the investment at
:43:57. > :44:01.the station locations in the north can go ahead even before the trains
:44:02. > :44:07.reach those locations. Demand for driving tests has increased, and
:44:08. > :44:11.with it, waiting times. The driver and vehicle standards agency is
:44:12. > :44:14.recruiting more examiners, improving its forecasting model to match
:44:15. > :44:24.resources with demand, and redeploying examiners appropriately.
:44:25. > :44:30.We have a particular local problem in the driving centre in my
:44:31. > :44:35.constituency for motorcyclists, where the motorcycle area is
:44:36. > :44:40.regularly covered in moss. Can the minister look into, make sure every
:44:41. > :44:45.effort is taking to ensure that motorcyclists are not disadvantaged?
:44:46. > :44:52.I will look into it and I will respond to the honourable gentleman.
:44:53. > :44:56.What assessment has the minister made of cancellations? I have been
:44:57. > :45:00.made aware of a number of cases where people have received them just
:45:01. > :45:04.minutes before a test has been due. I would be interested to know what
:45:05. > :45:08.assessment he has made of that and the impact it is having on waiting
:45:09. > :45:13.times? I will not enter the points my honourable friend is making. The
:45:14. > :45:29.challenge faced by the devious a is really one of increasing demand. --
:45:30. > :45:33.by the DVSA. The DVSA is responding with more people, but they also need
:45:34. > :45:40.to respond in a customer friendly way. It is an important point and I
:45:41. > :45:44.will look into it. Mr Speaker, we have continued to make progress on
:45:45. > :45:48.transport infrastructure schemes across the country. In the north,
:45:49. > :45:51.the northern transport strategy Spring report has set out more
:45:52. > :45:56.details on how we are building the northern powerhouse. In the east, we
:45:57. > :45:59.are evaluating bids for the East Anglia franchise, which will start
:46:00. > :46:06.in October this year. In the south-west, highways England has
:46:07. > :46:10.started community engagement on the work for the A303 and the A358
:46:11. > :46:15.improvement plans. The select committee has published its final
:46:16. > :46:19.report after 17 months of hard work. I would like to thank all members
:46:20. > :46:24.who were involved in that work for their significant time and effort
:46:25. > :46:30.over the course of those hearings. The businesses and residents in my
:46:31. > :46:37.area have longed for a new road linking the town to the A30. A new
:46:38. > :46:45.road would provide relief for the villages on that route. Can I ask
:46:46. > :46:49.the Secretary of State if he would confirm the governments continued
:46:50. > :46:52.support for this new road and if his department will continue to work
:46:53. > :46:56.with me to make sure it is delivered as soon as possible averaged my
:46:57. > :47:00.honourable friend has made the case for this road to me on many
:47:01. > :47:04.occasions, not least when I was in Cornwall, when he took me around the
:47:05. > :47:07.area that we are talking about. The government is making funds available
:47:08. > :47:12.through the local growth fund for such schemes. It will be up to
:47:13. > :47:17.Cornwall council to prepare and submit the bid for funding in the
:47:18. > :47:20.normal way. But Cornwall has had a very successful history of obtaining
:47:21. > :47:32.funds through this grant and I wish you well on this scheme. Mr Speaker,
:47:33. > :47:37.the board investigated 23 near misses between aircraft and drones
:47:38. > :47:45.in six months last year. Of those, 12 were deemed to involve a serious
:47:46. > :47:48.risk of collision. BALPA wants the government to run tests on what
:47:49. > :47:53.would happen if there was a collision. The government has had a
:47:54. > :47:57.working grip on this since 2013. So why is it only this summer that
:47:58. > :48:02.ministers will say anything? Should we note know already what tests have
:48:03. > :48:04.been done, what options are being considered, regulatory and
:48:05. > :48:11.otherwise, and when would any agreed option we put into practice? We take
:48:12. > :48:15.this matter very seriously indeed, the risk of a collision with a drone
:48:16. > :48:19.is one which we are aware of you. Yesterday I met with representatives
:48:20. > :48:26.of the British airline pilots Association and this was one topic
:48:27. > :48:30.which came up. There are very severe penalties in place for people who do
:48:31. > :48:32.get involved with this. And there are technologies such as geo-
:48:33. > :48:36.fencing which would prevent these aircraft entering sensitive
:48:37. > :48:43.airspace. We are considering what action to take. On a different but
:48:44. > :48:49.also topical subject, I was in Kent yesterday speaking to businesses who
:48:50. > :48:59.had felt first-hand the traffic chaos surrounding 33 days of
:49:00. > :49:04.operation started last year. -- Operation Stag. What is the
:49:05. > :49:14.government going to do to prevent a repeat of last year's seems?
:49:15. > :49:18.Operation Stack is a critical part of controlling access to the ports,
:49:19. > :49:22.and trying to make the ports flowed more smoothly. We had exceptional
:49:23. > :49:30.circumstances last summer, with strikes and challenges with migrants
:49:31. > :49:38.closing the tunnel. The proposal, which is effectively to create an of
:49:39. > :49:43.the highway holding area, is a significant investment, it is a ?250
:49:44. > :49:47.million project. The closure of the consultation is only a few days away
:49:48. > :49:52.I think. I have met with highways England and with local providers of
:49:53. > :50:02.highways, doing all we can do in the short-term. I will keep local
:50:03. > :50:06.members informed of progress. On the 4th of February this year, hundreds
:50:07. > :50:12.of my constituents were gridlocked on the M6 and M42 for an entire day
:50:13. > :50:20.following and accident. Will he examine proposals to open the M6
:50:21. > :50:25.toll road when such circumstances occur? Certainly there is an
:50:26. > :50:29.agreement in place where M6 tolls can be lifted in such an
:50:30. > :50:33.extraordinary circumstance. The government is looking at options
:50:34. > :50:37.over this agreement but there are substantial cost, policy and value
:50:38. > :50:41.for money indications involved with removing the tolls. As part of the
:50:42. > :50:49.process I am more than happy to meet with my honourable friend to discuss
:50:50. > :50:51.it. With an estimated skills gap of some 50,000 HGV drivers predicted by
:50:52. > :50:54.the end of this Parliament, would the minister agree that it makes
:50:55. > :50:59.sense for the government to contribute towards the ?3500
:51:00. > :51:07.training fee required for licences? It would mean more people working,
:51:08. > :51:11.and reducing welfare? Mr Speaker, I am looking at various options to
:51:12. > :51:15.help as far as this issue is concerned, along with other
:51:16. > :51:20.departments. But it is also for the industry to step up to the mark in
:51:21. > :51:23.its training programme. Will the minister join me in welcoming the
:51:24. > :51:28.report published earlier in the week by the independent transport
:51:29. > :51:31.commission, which set up way the mental impact of expansion at
:51:32. > :51:35.Heathrow can be mitigated? Given the weight of opinion included in the
:51:36. > :51:39.Davies report, when can we look forward to a statement of progress
:51:40. > :51:43.on this issue? I have noted the publication of the report by the
:51:44. > :51:49.independent transport commission. That obviously feed into the
:51:50. > :51:53.considerations we are making. As far as the wider issue of airport
:51:54. > :51:57.capacity and making a decision on the location, as I have said before,
:51:58. > :52:03.I hope to be able to do that later this year. I have been contacted by
:52:04. > :52:07.one of my constituents, who has described the impact of late running
:52:08. > :52:11.trains on her job and her income. She says, please understand that I
:52:12. > :52:17.am so employed and I cannot call in sick if I am late for work. This
:52:18. > :52:22.means that the job worth ?5,000 to me personally would be affected.
:52:23. > :52:26.Turning up 30 minutes late would cost me my work. Does the rail
:52:27. > :52:30.minister accept that late running trains and lamentable performance of
:52:31. > :52:33.southern rail, is having an impact on the productivity of the South of
:52:34. > :52:39.England? The gentleman knows I absolutely accept that. Over the
:52:40. > :52:43.country, rail passenger satisfaction is actually up three percentage
:52:44. > :52:46.points. But I think the challenge we have got is that there are some
:52:47. > :52:51.lines, like the one he mentions, where customers are not getting the
:52:52. > :52:53.punctuality and the service they deserve. That's why we are so
:52:54. > :52:57.committed to getting Network Rail and the franchise holder working
:52:58. > :53:03.together. There is no blame but we want them to work together. Does the
:53:04. > :53:10.rail Minister agree that improvements to the north junction
:53:11. > :53:12.are crucial to securing improved services on the King's Cross-
:53:13. > :53:16.Kingsley line and thus unlocking more economic growth? Will she and
:53:17. > :53:22.her colleagues work with me to help secure this crucial investment? The
:53:23. > :53:27.honourable gentleman and others have left me in no doubt as to the value
:53:28. > :53:31.of this Ely north junction work and I am disappointed that this work
:53:32. > :53:34.will not be completed until after 2019. But as a result of the
:53:35. > :53:39.discussions which he and others have organised, I am now confident that
:53:40. > :53:46.the preparatory work can go ahead sooner, with funding coming from a
:53:47. > :53:53.variety of sources. Can I ask what progress there has been with the top
:53:54. > :53:56.three projects recommended by the northern electrification task force,
:53:57. > :54:03.which was chaired by the honourable member for Harrogate and Nesbitt? Mr
:54:04. > :54:08.Speaker that was a cross-party report, chaired by my honourable
:54:09. > :54:13.friend. A lot has been learned about since then. That report will form
:54:14. > :54:16.part of the foundation for how we move forward with further
:54:17. > :54:23.electrification and how we prioritise those schemes. I know the
:54:24. > :54:30.government keeps under review the status of trust ports. Poole has
:54:31. > :54:34.that status. It has the support of the local community. I hope the
:54:35. > :54:39.shipping minister understands that. Can I first of all put on record our
:54:40. > :54:41.gratitude for the very hard work that my honourable friend has
:54:42. > :54:48.carried out as part of the HS2 committee. We do ask trust ports
:54:49. > :54:52.occasionally to review their status. But certainly all the feedback I
:54:53. > :54:57.have had is that the trust board model is working well in his case
:54:58. > :55:01.and we would not wish to interfere. Whilst it is clearly in the public
:55:02. > :55:05.interest that a person reporting somebody as being unfit to drive has
:55:06. > :55:09.anonymity, does the minister agree that where it appears that the
:55:10. > :55:13.abrogation is malicious, anonymity should be rescinded, and the
:55:14. > :55:17.reporting form should clearly state that if false Accies Asians are made
:55:18. > :55:26.about an individual, the accuser would be liable to prosecution? --
:55:27. > :55:29.false accusations. I think that is a matter for the Secretary of State
:55:30. > :55:34.for Justice but I will reflect on the question. Could my right
:55:35. > :55:47.honourable friend update the House on the reinstatement of the Holton
:55:48. > :55:50.Curve, which is so important for my part of the country. That's right.
:55:51. > :55:53.It is a vital link. I understand that the business case will be
:55:54. > :55:59.considered by the combined authorities in April. If approved,
:56:00. > :56:02.and I hope it is, it should be completed by 2018. It would be a
:56:03. > :56:14.pleasure to meet with the honourable gentleman. I would be very grateful
:56:15. > :56:17.to feed him some buns to keep up his weight during his marathon training!
:56:18. > :56:22.It is always useful to have some additional information! May I thank
:56:23. > :56:30.the minister of State for transport for his visit to Northern Ireland.
:56:31. > :56:34.He visited Belfast international airport as well as the air sea
:56:35. > :56:39.rescue. But will he help influence various projects which we saw at the
:56:40. > :56:44.time of road, rail, air passenger duty, enterprise zone, and of
:56:45. > :56:49.course, one day, a new runway here to help the links to Northern
:56:50. > :56:54.Ireland? It was certainly great to visit Ulster and to see some of the
:56:55. > :56:57.good news in terms of the 300 new jobs at Belfast international
:56:58. > :57:00.airport. And indeed the fact that Ryanair are now based at that
:57:01. > :57:05.airport, with flights to Gatwick and new routes including Milan and
:57:06. > :57:06.Berlin in the pipeline. I will look forward to coming to Northern
:57:07. > :57:16.Ireland again. In my constituency we have a link
:57:17. > :57:23.road going to he should import that is going to be open in the next six
:57:24. > :57:30.months. This is a strategic route. Is there any plan to open a trunk
:57:31. > :57:36.road? I visited the site with my honourable friend not long ago and
:57:37. > :57:42.it is a major piece of new infrastructure that will serve his
:57:43. > :57:46.area well. It has not been raised before but I will consider it. I'm
:57:47. > :57:50.very pleased that my honourable friend and his constituents will see
:57:51. > :57:58.the benefit of our massive road investment scheme in the near
:57:59. > :58:04.future. When I raised some time ago the need for a road tunnel between
:58:05. > :58:11.Sheffield and Manchester, many thought I was kite flying. Some
:58:12. > :58:17.thought this was going to be a desk top study. Will the Secretary of
:58:18. > :58:26.State confirm that this proposed tunnel might become a reality. I'm
:58:27. > :58:31.not sure whether the honourable member is asking me to comment on
:58:32. > :58:39.his demise at this particular stage but I will resist from doing so. He
:58:40. > :58:44.may be right that, past governments have raised this issue and been a
:58:45. > :58:50.desktop job, this is a proper serious of work that is going on.
:58:51. > :58:54.This infrastructure isn't just for 30 years, it is the kind of
:58:55. > :58:59.infrastructure that will be around for 100 years and very important to
:59:00. > :59:07.the area and therefore will certainly see the demise of both
:59:08. > :59:11.others. The government is making welcome investment in rail in the
:59:12. > :59:17.North with electrification bringing huge benefits to constituencies like
:59:18. > :59:21.mine. What is the government doing to improve disabled access at
:59:22. > :59:27.stations like Morley and Will the Secretary of State meet with me to
:59:28. > :59:32.discuss improvements at Morley station? It is right to raise this
:59:33. > :59:37.but there are many other stations ahead of it in the queue in terms of
:59:38. > :59:40.passenger fought for. We are catching up after decades of
:59:41. > :59:52.neglect. It would be a pleasure to meet with her and discuss disabled
:59:53. > :59:58.access in particular. The re-routing of services that is necessary in
:59:59. > :00:02.Piccadilly and Oxford Road which will utilise the line in my
:00:03. > :00:05.constituency so can I have a meeting with them so I can explain to him
:00:06. > :00:11.the importance of being able to assess whether Denton and Reddish
:00:12. > :00:19.South stations can make a business case for future investment? Topical
:00:20. > :00:23.questions seem to have given him the chance to raise a question again for
:00:24. > :00:31.which he wasn't happy with the first answer. I understand that he is
:00:32. > :00:36.meeting my honourable friend the Parliamentary under Secretary of
:00:37. > :00:45.State in 30 minutes and no doubt he might want to add this to the
:00:46. > :00:50.discussing. I recently visited a company that are refurbishing trains
:00:51. > :00:56.for mainline use. These would make an excellent replacement for the
:00:57. > :01:05.decrypted rolling stock on the line to Boston. There are fantastic
:01:06. > :01:15.innovations with rolling stock made from aluminium. In future successful
:01:16. > :01:18.bidders will be required to be innovative regarding rolling stock.
:01:19. > :01:25.We want to improve the rolling stock in his region. The proposed
:01:26. > :01:29.trans-Pennine tunnel that has just been mentioned would be
:01:30. > :01:34.transformative, not just for congestion in my constituency but
:01:35. > :01:40.for the local economy. It is an ambitious project but the North is
:01:41. > :01:46.worthy of that level of ambition. Will the Secretary of State urge the
:01:47. > :01:50.Chancellor to support it as well. I don't need to encourage the
:01:51. > :01:55.Chancellor at all in infrastructure spending. I have been incredibly
:01:56. > :01:59.successful in securing funding for infrastructure from the Chancellor
:02:00. > :02:04.who gets the importance of investment, not least in the north.
:02:05. > :02:07.His policy has been pursuing the whole question of the Northern
:02:08. > :02:12.powerhouse and taking forward transferred for the North which will
:02:13. > :02:15.have a transformative effect on transport between northern cities
:02:16. > :02:21.and it is something that other parts of the country are looking to
:02:22. > :02:26.follow. The minister will recall the Shaw show crash which tragically
:02:27. > :02:30.claimed the lives of 11 men in my constituency last August. I have
:02:31. > :02:35.been asked by the media for my comments on the report on the air
:02:36. > :02:40.crash which apparently is being published today. Why was I not aware
:02:41. > :02:48.of that and what plans do the governments have two respond to it?
:02:49. > :02:51.I am not sure that we do preview notification of the Branch report
:02:52. > :02:58.before they are published. It is part of the reported that is being
:02:59. > :03:08.published today but by no means is it the full report, a parliament
:03:09. > :03:15.investigation will be updated and they are notifying people where they
:03:16. > :03:20.have got to so far. Demand today has heavily outstripped supply and we
:03:21. > :03:36.must now move on. Urgent question. Mr Greg Mulholland. Will the
:03:37. > :03:37.Minister of State make a comment on the appointment