Transport Questions

:00:08. > :00:13.Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the

:00:14. > :00:16.Commons. In an hour, and urgent question is being asked by the

:00:17. > :00:21.conservative Bernard Jenkin concerning ministerial discussions

:00:22. > :00:27.over the government's trade union Bill. After that, the leader of the

:00:28. > :00:30.House Chris Grayling will be announcing the business of the House

:00:31. > :00:34.running out of the state opening on Wednesday 18th of May, then he will

:00:35. > :00:41.take questions from backbenchers. After that, two debates peddled by

:00:42. > :00:44.the backbench committee, the first marking world autism awareness week,

:00:45. > :00:53.and the second looking at report from HMRC, it looking at the reports

:00:54. > :00:58.of closures of many tax offices. Do not forget to join me for a round-up

:00:59. > :01:04.of the day in both houses of parliament at 11pm tonight. First,

:01:05. > :01:12.questions to the Secretary of State of transport.

:01:13. > :01:25.Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport.

:01:26. > :01:29.Question one. Drones have great potential but it is important that

:01:30. > :01:34.they are used to safely. There are already tough penalties in place for

:01:35. > :01:36.negligent drone use. Including up to five years imprisonment for

:01:37. > :01:43.endangering an aircraft. The Department NT News to work with

:01:44. > :01:49.agencies to assess the safety risks of drones. Should the government not

:01:50. > :01:53.heed the warning of Heathrow, and instead of the complacent position

:01:54. > :02:00.taken, realise the potential of catastrophe by vandals or careless

:02:01. > :02:05.people using drones, and the dreadful possibility of terrorists

:02:06. > :02:08.using drones against stores of flammable material on nuclear power

:02:09. > :02:13.stations? Already drones are being used to take mobile phones and drugs

:02:14. > :02:18.into Wandsworth prison. Shouldn't the government wake up and realise

:02:19. > :02:24.and realise this new menace is potential great threat and take

:02:25. > :02:29.precautions in order to reduce the universal access to drones that

:02:30. > :02:35.exists now? There is no complacency whatsoever. By the government by the

:02:36. > :02:39.use of drones. There is a prison sentence which is available and I

:02:40. > :02:45.will obviously keep the situation under review. It is also important

:02:46. > :02:50.to find out the facts behind certain incidents, so the incident that was

:02:51. > :02:59.reported on the 17th of April, it is now thought that that was not a

:03:00. > :03:04.drone incident. I wonder if the Minister could update the House on

:03:05. > :03:12.the state of investment in the roads in the north-east, in particular the

:03:13. > :03:16.A1, and how that can make progress? Most interesting matter but little

:03:17. > :03:22.distant for the matter of drones, save it for the long summer evenings

:03:23. > :03:28.that lie ahead. There are growing concerns about incidents involving

:03:29. > :03:32.drones threatening public safety. It is not very clear if there is a

:03:33. > :03:36.problem to do with regulations themselves, or the enforcement of

:03:37. > :03:43.those ready nations. Will the secretary of state look at those? I

:03:44. > :03:49.certainly will. I met earlier this week, a planned meeting before the

:03:50. > :03:56.incident on the 17th of April, with BALPA, to discuss this, and also

:03:57. > :04:00.laser pen used, the is causing for civil aviation in this country. But

:04:01. > :04:04.I certainly will keep these things very much under review, and do

:04:05. > :04:10.further work along with BALPA and the industry, and the CAA, on drones

:04:11. > :04:14.and drone use. Can my right honourable friend assure me that all

:04:15. > :04:21.regulations and guidance with regard to drones and air safety will apply

:04:22. > :04:25.and be communicated to appoint outside London -- to airports

:04:26. > :04:28.outside London, so we have a consistent policy across the country

:04:29. > :04:33.with air safety? My honourable friend gives a very good point, this

:04:34. > :04:39.is not just a matter of London airports, it is any airport, also a

:04:40. > :04:41.matter of airport outside London which serve important international

:04:42. > :04:47.connections right across the country. I hear what the Transport

:04:48. > :04:52.Secretary is saying with his engagement with airports, but it is

:04:53. > :04:55.also an issue for stadiums, railway stations and other places where

:04:56. > :04:59.public gather in huge numbers. Can he tell us what discussions he has

:05:00. > :05:05.had with the widest possible range of stakeholders including local

:05:06. > :05:11.authorities with the use of drones? The issue that I was addressing and

:05:12. > :05:16.addressing in this country, this question, was related to aviation.

:05:17. > :05:20.That is the point that I have updated the House on. Of course,

:05:21. > :05:22.there are wider issues across the government and the government keeps

:05:23. > :05:30.these matters consistently under review. I am grateful for that

:05:31. > :05:34.response, even if it was not much of an answer. The Secretary of State

:05:35. > :05:38.briefly touched upon another important issue surrounding laser

:05:39. > :05:42.pens, and in particular the threat that they also pose to airports

:05:43. > :05:46.across the United Kingdom. BALPA have called for all but the lowest

:05:47. > :05:56.strength laser pens to be bound. What is his response to that? -- to

:05:57. > :06:02.be banned. As I said a a few moments ago, I met BALPA this week, they

:06:03. > :06:06.came forward with some issues with laser pens, there is evidence about

:06:07. > :06:12.the way the are used, they fall under the category of being illegal

:06:13. > :06:15.to shine into someone's eyes and there have been more prosecutions.

:06:16. > :06:18.It is something I willing to take further action on wanted to get

:06:19. > :06:28.agreement on what the best way forward is. You may recall that this

:06:29. > :06:30.time last month, I ask the Secretary of State's honourable friend that

:06:31. > :06:33.after three years of talk about working groups, when we would be

:06:34. > :06:38.told what the government was actually going to do about the

:06:39. > :06:47.drones to civil aircraft. His answer left us in lies. -- left us number

:06:48. > :06:56.wiser. This week the minister said in the written answer that he will

:06:57. > :07:03.not even consult on anything until the European aviation agency has

:07:04. > :07:07.consulted. Other countries have already brought in recession schemes

:07:08. > :07:10.and other initiatives so when are we going to see clear proposals from

:07:11. > :07:17.the government, without having to wait for the US president to come to

:07:18. > :07:24.town? Think the point that the honourable member made in his quest,

:07:25. > :07:33.he said it might have Been a drone action. Government acts on what will

:07:34. > :07:39.be the danger, not what might be. We are in discussion with the BALPA and

:07:40. > :07:42.the CAA to develop this. If the honourable member is saying all

:07:43. > :07:47.drones should be banned completely this is something they never thought

:07:48. > :07:55.about when they were in office. Question two. The framework and the

:07:56. > :08:05.amount of Schedule 8 compensation is set by the committee of rails. --

:08:06. > :08:10.the rail regulator. She's welcome to raise concerns with them. I know the

:08:11. > :08:14.Minister has concerns about Schedule 8 payments, as do I. It is

:08:15. > :08:17.scandalous rail operators make millions from rail delays at the

:08:18. > :08:21.expense of passengers are suffering from a poor standard of service. I

:08:22. > :08:25.wonder what immediate steps the government might take to give power

:08:26. > :08:29.to the regulator to insure any net profits made by train operators from

:08:30. > :08:34.unplanned delays and cancellations caused by Network Rail go towards

:08:35. > :08:38.improving rail passenger services across the country? Particularly in

:08:39. > :08:45.light of the very low levels of passenger satisfaction? I thank her

:08:46. > :08:48.for raising this issue very eloquently on several occasions, and

:08:49. > :08:52.I know that these are part of the considerations of the current view.

:08:53. > :08:56.She and I are as one on the view that the rail industry has to do

:08:57. > :09:00.more to improve the current compensation payments which are

:09:01. > :09:03.rather generous in absolute terms but not well advertised Orwell

:09:04. > :09:09.claimed, and I am personally looking forward to bringing forward the

:09:10. > :09:13.policy to reduce the delay threshold to 15 minutes. Our goal should be to

:09:14. > :09:16.get trains running on time so passengers do not have to claim

:09:17. > :09:19.compensation and that is what is underpinning this government's

:09:20. > :09:23.record investment in the railway. Constituent of mine wishing to get

:09:24. > :09:30.back-to-back sale after 9pm on a Monday or Tuesday are having to

:09:31. > :09:33.undertake an large portion of the journey by replacement bus service,

:09:34. > :09:39.that will be going on for the rest of this year. -- getting back to

:09:40. > :09:47.excel. I declare an interest, this affects me. My intentions are ultra

:09:48. > :09:55.stick, will the Minister meets with meal -- Alcester, will she meet with

:09:56. > :10:01.me to see if they can do this work overnight? I will of course meet

:10:02. > :10:07.with him and look at what can be done to speed up the repair of that

:10:08. > :10:15.piece of work. It is the case that passengers are completely

:10:16. > :10:23.inadequately, they did for delays, and I welcome her supporting my

:10:24. > :10:28.campaign to half the delay time. Will she also support my campaign to

:10:29. > :10:35.sack Southern, who have proven completely incapable of running a

:10:36. > :10:43.railway service and should hand it over to TEFL? It is good that he is

:10:44. > :10:46.supporting my campaign, we have discussed the Southern franchise

:10:47. > :10:50.many times, it is difficult, there are record levels of engineering

:10:51. > :10:53.works going on on the slide and we are doing all we can to ensure

:10:54. > :10:56.passengers suffered the least disruption and get the compensation

:10:57. > :11:01.to which they are entitled if their trains do not work on time. Schedule

:11:02. > :11:08.8 compensation is not making it's way to my travelling public, one

:11:09. > :11:12.actively contact me from Acton Main line, where there is no stuff, no

:11:13. > :11:19.way of buying a ticket and no indicating board, one stop from

:11:20. > :11:26.Paddington, it should not be a case of taking your life into the own

:11:27. > :11:31.hands and looking into the Unknown. I am not going to give a boring

:11:32. > :11:39.lecture on Schedule 8, it is slightly different to the point of

:11:40. > :11:42.compensation paid to passengers under delay to pay, and it is right

:11:43. > :11:49.that we bring forward proposals because the compensation threshold

:11:50. > :11:54.is not worth a lot, one that is at 15 minutes is better, but her

:11:55. > :11:58.constituents have a far greater choice of transport than any other

:11:59. > :12:04.parts of the country. That is why we are investing across the country.

:12:05. > :12:09.80% of passengers and title to a refund when their train is cancelled

:12:10. > :12:13.or delayed make no claim, largely because train operating companies

:12:14. > :12:17.make claiming too difficult. To improve passenger compensation

:12:18. > :12:19.arrangements, the office of rail and road recommended that the provisions

:12:20. > :12:25.of the consumer rights act should apply to rail. But this month, the

:12:26. > :12:31.government further delayed this interjection by another year. Why is

:12:32. > :12:34.it that train operating companies should have such beneficial

:12:35. > :12:38.compensation arrangements, while the government intervenes to delay

:12:39. > :12:45.giving passengers their right to compensation? The question that

:12:46. > :12:50.comes to mind is why the honourable gentleman's government did nothing

:12:51. > :12:53.about this for 13 years. Delay repay compensation levels have increased

:12:54. > :12:57.eightfold over the last five years. There is far more to do. The actual

:12:58. > :13:01.amount of compensation that is available is more generous in this

:13:02. > :13:06.country than in all most any other country in Europe, but if I can just

:13:07. > :13:09.assure him on the CRA exemption, the industry had argued for a permanent

:13:10. > :13:12.exemption, I found that completely unacceptable. We have given the

:13:13. > :13:22.industry time to adjust and make sure they get it right. The road

:13:23. > :13:27.investment strategy announced the upgradable remaining sections of the

:13:28. > :13:31.8303 between the M3 and a 358 to June carriage way standard together

:13:32. > :13:37.with the upgrading of the 8358 in Somerset to the M5 at Taunton to the

:13:38. > :13:45.A303 at Ilminster. Three major screams -- schemes are planned to

:13:46. > :13:48.turn to process by 2020. I thank our excellent road ministers for stating

:13:49. > :13:52.quite clearly the improvements from Stonehenge through to Ilminster

:13:53. > :13:56.through to Taunton. Very much welcome. But there is a stretch from

:13:57. > :14:00.Ilminster to harm at, which actually needs a little more improvement.

:14:01. > :14:07.Therefore we have the cooperation of the Blackdown Hills society to give

:14:08. > :14:11.a 60 mph Rd through onto Exeter to make sure we have that second

:14:12. > :14:17.arterial route into Devon and on into Cornwall, so I would like an

:14:18. > :14:20.update from our excellent minister. Detailed disposition from a

:14:21. > :14:26.minister? I fear he probably won't be disappointed! LAUGHTER

:14:27. > :14:29.Obviously I thank my honourable friend for that question. The first

:14:30. > :14:33.road investment strategy did include some smaller scale improvements to

:14:34. > :14:37.that section of the roads to improve safety and Jenny quality but it is a

:14:38. > :14:41.very challenging area to make improvements, it is protected

:14:42. > :14:43.landscape and a very dutiful area, as my honourable friend showed me

:14:44. > :14:46.when he drove me along the route last summer time when I heard first

:14:47. > :14:51.time the opportunity that was presented by investment. We have

:14:52. > :14:56.started the process of the second road investment strategy, and they

:14:57. > :15:00.are developing route strategies to improve that process. I will be

:15:01. > :15:03.taking my honourable friend's contribution into that process and

:15:04. > :15:10.make sure he is raised with on a constant basis. I would like to

:15:11. > :15:16.welcome the upgrade of the A303, but particularly where it joins the

:15:17. > :15:21.A358, and links from the 830. But a recent parish meeting I went to, it

:15:22. > :15:26.was suggested the preferred options would come together by 2018, and

:15:27. > :15:28.there was a certain bit of my drink from the audience about whether the

:15:29. > :15:32.government would actually go ahead and build the road. So could the

:15:33. > :15:41.Minister confirm that this will take place by 2020, as it is so crucial

:15:42. > :15:44.for the wider south-west? I can understand there are some sinners is

:15:45. > :15:49.on a local basis because the scheme has I think been cancelled by former

:15:50. > :15:51.governments. However, let me just provides reassurance there. We are

:15:52. > :15:58.looking at consultation starting next year, and the start of work in

:15:59. > :16:07.early 2020, so I am happy to provide the assurance my honourable friend

:16:08. > :16:10.once. The airports commission assessed the surface access

:16:11. > :16:15.requirements of each short listed airport proposal as part of its work

:16:16. > :16:19.published in July 20 15th, and estimated the cost of up to ?5

:16:20. > :16:26.billion for surface access works in relation to Heathrow Northwest

:16:27. > :16:30.runway. Thank you, Mr Speaker, there are clearly widely differing

:16:31. > :16:35.estimates as to the capital cost of building an additional runway at

:16:36. > :16:38.Heathrow. But what is not in dispute is that building an additional

:16:39. > :16:44.runway at Heathrow will cost significantly more than building an

:16:45. > :16:47.additional runway at Gatwick. So my question, Mr Speaker, is if the

:16:48. > :16:52.government does decide to go ahead with expanding Heathrow, who will

:16:53. > :16:58.pay the difference? The airline passenger or the taxpayer? The

:16:59. > :17:03.honourable lady is absolutely right that some of the estimates that have

:17:04. > :17:07.been forecast for surface access to differ widely, even by the standards

:17:08. > :17:10.of some economists, but one must bear in mind that these three sets

:17:11. > :17:14.of figures includes different things over different time scales. The main

:17:15. > :17:17.difference being the work is required exclusively for airport

:17:18. > :17:21.capacity where the airport would be expected to make a major

:17:22. > :17:25.contribution. Projects that support airport capacity but have wider

:17:26. > :17:28.benefits and those in the TfL figures, which are needed for

:17:29. > :17:34.economic growth over the next 20 or 30 years. Does the government have a

:17:35. > :17:38.view on this, the airport commission figure just 5 billion, 2 billion

:17:39. > :17:44.from Heathrow, the 18 billion from TfL? Is this not just 30 years of

:17:45. > :17:48.disinformation we get out of Heathrow? When is the government

:17:49. > :17:53.going to come to a decision on this and make its nuclear and stop

:17:54. > :17:56.delaying it because of elections? If the honourable gentleman had been

:17:57. > :17:59.paying attention, I did explain that these figures related from things

:18:00. > :18:03.over different time scales. In relation to the decision, perhaps a

:18:04. > :18:08.could wait until my honourable friend for Twickenham poses her

:18:09. > :18:12.question to the Secretary of State. Mr Speaker, can the government give

:18:13. > :18:16.us any indication of a construction time period from a decision taken

:18:17. > :18:21.until a runway either at Gatwick or Heathrow is completed? It is

:18:22. > :18:25.important to note that the additional time we are taking to

:18:26. > :18:30.look at a number of economic and environmental factors will not delay

:18:31. > :18:38.the delivery of a runway at whatever location is decided upon.

:18:39. > :18:45.The government has committed ?600 million in this Parliament for the

:18:46. > :18:49.uptake of electric vehicles. The UK has the largest network of rapid

:18:50. > :18:52.charging point in Europe, with a total of 11,000 public charge

:18:53. > :18:56.points. We will be announcing further details of the next phase of

:18:57. > :19:03.plans to expand the UK's charging next work later this year. --

:19:04. > :19:08.network. I had a meeting a few weeks ago with Nissan, one of the

:19:09. > :19:12.manufacturers here in the UK. They clearly put forward the significant

:19:13. > :19:16.changes there has been in electric cars, better acceleration, better

:19:17. > :19:20.power, longer battery life. I just want to ask this question, if we are

:19:21. > :19:25.going to have better charging points, we need to have them on the

:19:26. > :19:29.high Street, in the shopping centre. Those other ways forward, make them

:19:30. > :19:33.accessible to whether people are and where the electric cars are. The

:19:34. > :19:36.honourable gentleman is absolutely right, there are a much wider range

:19:37. > :19:40.of vehicles to be chosen and many tilt in the United Kingdom. We have

:19:41. > :19:46.seen a big increase last year, than in the last four years combined. I

:19:47. > :19:50.am very pleased that Ulster was one of the UK's eight plug-in places,

:19:51. > :19:56.which received ?19 million of funding from the office of lower

:19:57. > :20:00.emissions vehicles. As the Minister will know, work has finally started

:20:01. > :20:03.on the new Ilkeston train station, where I'm sure there will be at

:20:04. > :20:13.least one charging point for electric cars. Despite this major

:20:14. > :20:17.new -- this major new investment brings -- with this in mind can we

:20:18. > :20:27.establish a new electric bus route to link the station at the town

:20:28. > :20:32.centre? I tell my honourable friend that not only the great advantage of

:20:33. > :20:36.electric cars, but electric buses. I was in Ulster lately at the right

:20:37. > :20:39.bus factory where they have buses now that will go all day on a

:20:40. > :20:45.charge, which would be perfect vehicles for the sort of project my

:20:46. > :20:49.honourable friend suggests. It is not just physical but intellectual

:20:50. > :20:52.infrastructure that is required to support the electric vehicle

:20:53. > :20:54.industry, not least because of the extreme voltage is that I've truly

:20:55. > :20:58.dangerous to people who don't know what they are doing, and because the

:20:59. > :21:06.engines are entirely different from petrol and diesel. As the industry

:21:07. > :21:09.for that -- the Ministry for the motor industry on sporting knowledge

:21:10. > :21:14.of electric vehicles, and it is it something his department might be of

:21:15. > :21:17.support? It is important that people who work in these vehicles are

:21:18. > :21:22.adequately trained but I would caution him to suggest that electric

:21:23. > :21:28.vehicles are more dangerous than the alternatives. Anyone who has seen a

:21:29. > :21:32.petrol tank catch fire would realise that electric vehicles are actually

:21:33. > :21:35.intrinsically safe. A number of important decisions on airport

:21:36. > :21:39.capacity were taken by the government in December, including to

:21:40. > :21:42.accept the case for expansion in the south-east. However, we must take

:21:43. > :21:45.time to get the decision right on the preferred scheme. The government

:21:46. > :21:48.is further considering the environment impacts, and the best

:21:49. > :21:58.possible measures to mitigate the impacts of expansion. Thank you, Mr

:21:59. > :22:02.Speaker. On March 24, as chair of the APPG on Heathrow, I wrote to

:22:03. > :22:06.Secretary of State with 64 questions about his department was network in

:22:07. > :22:12.this area. Unfortunately I have received answers to none. We'll be

:22:13. > :22:15.Secretary of State except that important questions on noise, air

:22:16. > :22:20.quality, deliverability are essential before he makes this

:22:21. > :22:27.decision, in order to give confidence to the decision-making

:22:28. > :22:32.process? When the decision is made, I will be accountable to the house,

:22:33. > :22:36.to the reasons behind why certain decisions were taken, but what I

:22:37. > :22:40.pointed out to my honourable friend in the letter I did reply to her on,

:22:41. > :22:44.it would not be appropriate for me to provide a running commentary

:22:45. > :22:49.until such time that the government has come to a final decision, and

:22:50. > :22:51.that we will do. When we do that, we will be fully accountable for the

:22:52. > :22:57.decisions and the recommendations that we make. Mr Speaker, isn't the

:22:58. > :23:01.Minister at least a little ashamed at the fact that there has been a

:23:02. > :23:04.major enquiry, it made its recommendations under Howard Davies,

:23:05. > :23:08.nothing has happened? At the same time, we are putting all of our

:23:09. > :23:15.national treasure into HS2, and by the time that comes in 2032, we will

:23:16. > :23:19.find the driverless car has made it totally redundant. Mr Speaker, I

:23:20. > :23:24.will take no lectures from a man who supported the government that saw

:23:25. > :23:28.our position in the infrastructure league tables move from seven when

:23:29. > :23:33.they entered government in 1997 down to 33rd by the time they left

:23:34. > :23:37.government in 2010. The honourable gentleman says it was all his fault.

:23:38. > :23:50.Well, that was his words and not mine. LAUGHTER

:23:51. > :23:56.Mr Speaker, in Buckinghamshire, over 700 businesses have chosen to locate

:23:57. > :24:01.their headquarters not least because of the proximity of that excellent

:24:02. > :24:04.local airport, Heathrow. And far from building on the previous

:24:05. > :24:10.question, I think it is fair to point out to the Secretary of State,

:24:11. > :24:16.whereas HS2 brings absolutely no net economic benefit to Bucks, Heathrow

:24:17. > :24:19.does, and it is a long time since Howard Davies reported. Could the

:24:20. > :24:28.Secretary of State therefore get a wig along? LAUGHTER

:24:29. > :24:32.-- get a wiggle on? Mr Speaker, you have chastised a few people this

:24:33. > :24:37.morning for links with airports and HS2. While my right honourable

:24:38. > :24:41.friend refers to Heathrow as her local airport, which I fully accept

:24:42. > :24:46.I have not heard it described before as a local airport but it is a good

:24:47. > :24:48.discretion in particular case, and indeed her constituents are well

:24:49. > :24:52.connected to that particular airport. I also want to see other

:24:53. > :24:55.parts of the country get the same opportunities that London is getting

:24:56. > :25:08.in its transport connections as well. Mr Alan Brown. This decision

:25:09. > :25:15.can impact Scottish airports. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary of

:25:16. > :25:17.State's earlier comments, I think the government should provide a

:25:18. > :25:21.running commentary about this important decision, so can the

:25:22. > :25:24.Secretary of State state clearly as to what additional work is doing

:25:25. > :25:27.about air quality, noise considerations, when the work will

:25:28. > :25:32.be completed and what else the government needs to do to come to a

:25:33. > :25:36.decision? I am afraid I disagree about providing a running

:25:37. > :25:40.commentary, for the reasons which I pointed out in my earlier answers,

:25:41. > :25:45.but that work is being done. I hope very soon to be able to come to a

:25:46. > :25:54.house and informed the house and the house of the recommendations the

:25:55. > :25:56.government is making. Thank you, Mr Speaker, the government is committed

:25:57. > :26:00.to delivering the emissions reductions needed to meet our

:26:01. > :26:04.climate change targets, including the uptake of low emission vehicles,

:26:05. > :26:07.reducing emissions from the road freight sector and encouraging

:26:08. > :26:14.sustainable choices such as walking and cycling. A quarter of the UK's

:26:15. > :26:19.greenhouse gas emissions come from transport emissions, which the

:26:20. > :26:22.government has pledged to cut. Will the minister follow the example of

:26:23. > :26:29.the Scottish Government, who are committed to investing ?62.5 million

:26:30. > :26:33.to create low-carbon infrastructure? I will certainly take no lessons

:26:34. > :26:36.from the Scottish Government, in terms of low-carbon infrastructure

:26:37. > :26:39.for stop one only has to look at the electrification programme on RL

:26:40. > :26:43.ways. The fact is we have some very tough targets we are determined to

:26:44. > :26:46.meet and we will set our fifth carbon budget later this year, and

:26:47. > :26:52.we will publish our emissions reduction plan shortly afterwards.

:26:53. > :26:57.Electric cars are a form of low-carbon transport. Given the

:26:58. > :27:03.disaster in Normandy and in Finland by EDF with a nuclear power station

:27:04. > :27:07.there, can the government explain whence the electricity for all these

:27:08. > :27:12.electric cars? Certainly electric cars can benefit from electricity

:27:13. > :27:16.overnight, and use that off-peak electricity very effectively. I for

:27:17. > :27:17.one believe that nuclear generation will be part of our future energy

:27:18. > :27:29.strategy. Too few companies in East Lancashire

:27:30. > :27:37.offer the cycle to work scheme, what can the government do to extend the

:27:38. > :27:41.scheme to areas like mine? We support it enthusiastically, I know

:27:42. > :27:44.many companies can make sure that their employees get information

:27:45. > :27:50.about picking up that scheme which is a great scheme, get a lot of

:27:51. > :27:57.people onto two wheels, and reduces other carbon dioxide emissions and

:27:58. > :28:02.other pollutants. The most low carb on forms of transport are cycling

:28:03. > :28:07.and walking. Extraordinary, the government showed Easter Sunday to

:28:08. > :28:13.release the long-awaited cycling and walking investment strategy, I can

:28:14. > :28:17.understand why they did not want people to notice it because it is

:28:18. > :28:22.long on aspiration but short on investment. Cycle UK have concluded

:28:23. > :28:27.that by 2021, the amount of money spent on cycling outside London will

:28:28. > :28:36.be 72p per head. How far does the Minister think that they can go on

:28:37. > :28:42.72p? We should hang on a minute here. When we came to power in 2015,

:28:43. > :28:47.we were spending ?2 per head, and at the end of the coalition, we were

:28:48. > :28:52.spending ?6 per head. That is a very good record of investment in cycling

:28:53. > :28:55.and in a spending review, the Chancellor confirmed over ?300

:28:56. > :29:00.million for cycling over five years in that spending review. Many of the

:29:01. > :29:02.decisions have been made by local authorities which are still at least

:29:03. > :29:10.some of them run by the Labour Party. I think that is an admissions

:29:11. > :29:20.-- admission of Joe Mattock cut in cycling. Let us move on to walking,

:29:21. > :29:23.as we approach walked to work week, the strategy has no measurable

:29:24. > :29:31.targets were walking at all. When the minister was pressed in written

:29:32. > :29:36.questions, he sidestepped. Why do we have to wait until 2025 to have

:29:37. > :29:40.measurable targets? We are determined to increase levels of

:29:41. > :29:44.walking, both children walking to school and people walking as part of

:29:45. > :29:47.their everyday lives, many people see the importance of walking not

:29:48. > :29:52.only in terms of improving transport infrastructure but also contributing

:29:53. > :29:59.to clean area in our cities. Question ten. As my right honourable

:30:00. > :30:03.friend knows Dorrell travel in this country is booming and a vital part

:30:04. > :30:06.of the grid is ensuring that rail is accessible to all, including

:30:07. > :30:11.passengers of disabilities, at every stage of the journey. The numbers

:30:12. > :30:15.suggest that disabled people are using the railway in ever greater

:30:16. > :30:21.numbers, the disabled Persons Railcard insect nation went up 12%

:30:22. > :30:27.year-on-year, -- in circulation, a growth rate above those without

:30:28. > :30:31.disabilities. The concourse at Birmingham International is going to

:30:32. > :30:34.be improved to provide better access for the disabled, but could the

:30:35. > :30:37.minister put pressure on the Chiltern line, where the gap between

:30:38. > :30:41.the carriages and the platform is very high indeed, and would it not

:30:42. > :30:51.be possible to replicate what TEFL do, I think at Westminster station

:30:52. > :30:54.there is a raised platform in one section? We need a joined up

:30:55. > :30:58.approach, we need the operators and Network Rail to work together. She

:30:59. > :31:03.should be aware that any improvement works carried on the station have

:31:04. > :31:10.two comply with UK disability standards. I am grateful to the

:31:11. > :31:17.reply that she gave earlier. Given that we know that Network Rail have

:31:18. > :31:20.financial issues, and ?50 million is being taken out of the access for

:31:21. > :31:27.all skin, can the minister explained what pressure she can put on Network

:31:28. > :31:32.Rail to make sure that stations like once in my constituency which are

:31:33. > :31:36.not accidental to disabled people are upgraded to everyone can have

:31:37. > :31:40.access to a good rail service? Many of the stations in country date from

:31:41. > :31:46.Victorian times when this was not even an issue. I would like to point

:31:47. > :31:49.out to him that access for all is a scheme of which we offer a proud,

:31:50. > :31:55.almost half ?1 billion has been spent, money will be spent

:31:56. > :31:59.continually, and stations were prioritised based on football. I

:32:00. > :32:03.would be more than happy to look at the station to see if anything could

:32:04. > :32:07.be done. We have to make sure the money is spent where people are

:32:08. > :32:12.travelling. This to me is absolutely part of the railway for the future,

:32:13. > :32:15.vital for people with disabilities to be able to access trains and

:32:16. > :32:25.rolling stock will be fully to civility compliant by 2020. --

:32:26. > :32:29.Philippe disability compliant. I recognise the important role that

:32:30. > :32:32.regional airports play in providing domestic and international

:32:33. > :32:34.connections and admire the contribution they make to the growth

:32:35. > :32:39.of rival contribution they make to the growth

:32:40. > :32:46.of local economies. They operate within the local -- the private

:32:47. > :32:56.sector and it is up to them to get people into them. Inward tourism is

:32:57. > :33:01.very important in my area, my local at Port has no connection to London.

:33:02. > :33:08.From the discussion in this chamber, no sign of a connection to London.

:33:09. > :33:14.But the minister consider a strategy to connect local airports to bring

:33:15. > :33:18.in inward tourists? The honourable lady talks about connections and

:33:19. > :33:31.conductivity into London, that is one of the reasons why the Davis

:33:32. > :33:34.commission was support. -- was commissioned to report. We need to

:33:35. > :33:38.bear in mind regional conductivity and give reassurance to people who

:33:39. > :33:43.want further service from regional airport into London, they will get

:33:44. > :33:46.that opportunity. I am reliably informed that Cornwall Newquay

:33:47. > :33:50.airport is the fastest-growing regional airport in the country, and

:33:51. > :33:54.can I thank the aviation Minister for his support in helping us to

:33:55. > :34:00.open a new route from Newquay to Leeds Bradford. Going forward it

:34:01. > :34:05.will be essential that original air connectivity is in place to make

:34:06. > :34:09.sure that as our economy grows, the benefit of felt across the country.

:34:10. > :34:12.Can he confirm the regional connectivity fund will continue to

:34:13. > :34:18.be available to help small and regional airport open up their

:34:19. > :34:27.roots? Where they are qualifying, I am grateful that the roots do

:34:28. > :34:30.qualify, it is available. It has made an important difference, it is

:34:31. > :34:37.a route that I have used in a number of occasions to go down to his

:34:38. > :34:40.constituency and others in Cornwall. The Minister will know that London

:34:41. > :34:45.Luton Airport is undergoing a substantial and welcome expansion,

:34:46. > :34:53.but there is spare capacity at Birmingham Airport. It could make a

:34:54. > :35:01.significant contribution to the journey if there was an upgrade of

:35:02. > :35:06.the railway line linking Birmingham Airport Crossrail and therefore to

:35:07. > :35:12.Heathrow. I figure the honourable gentleman that he is always making

:35:13. > :35:18.-- I say to the honourable gentleman that he is with making the case for

:35:19. > :35:23.traditional local links and he is not so keen on high-speed links. I

:35:24. > :35:26.commend what is happening at Luiten airport, I was there to see the

:35:27. > :35:29.start of the work a few months ago and the regeneration going on there,

:35:30. > :35:38.it is rain poured and it is proving very important for the area as well.

:35:39. > :35:43.Number 12. This department is providing over ?7 billion to the

:35:44. > :35:46.local growth fund which will fund over 500 local transport projects by

:35:47. > :35:53.the end of the parliament. As part of that fund, we have launched a new

:35:54. > :35:55.?425 million fund for transformational local transport

:35:56. > :35:58.schemes which are too large for the main allocations and we have invited

:35:59. > :36:10.local enterprise partnerships to bid by July. The construction of the 20

:36:11. > :36:14.year weighted by past here will open up employment land and support the

:36:15. > :36:18.regional economy by creating jobs. Will the Minister meet with me and

:36:19. > :36:21.Cheshire East council representatives to discuss the

:36:22. > :36:26.merits of a funding application for this project? I am happy to have

:36:27. > :36:28.that meeting particularly if she involves the local enterprise

:36:29. > :36:31.partnership, who are central to putting together these bits and

:36:32. > :36:35.ensuring that where we do have these types of investments, they are

:36:36. > :36:40.important for the economy to the local region, and some of the

:36:41. > :36:44.Council representatives. With the Minister look carefully at the plans

:36:45. > :36:48.being forwarded by the Mersey the Alliance for a strategic rail link

:36:49. > :36:52.direct to Manchester Airport, which had a dual benefit of speeding up

:36:53. > :36:59.traffic to Manchester Airport but also taking cars of the motorway?

:37:00. > :37:04.That is the kind of project that transport for North will be looking

:37:05. > :37:10.at, and I understand the importance of good surface connectivity so

:37:11. > :37:14.airports can continue to grow. Manchester Airport is an example for

:37:15. > :37:20.others to follow. The government has given considerable amounts of money

:37:21. > :37:23.to the Labour dominated west Yorkshire combined authority who

:37:24. > :37:28.spend most of their money in the Labour heartlands, ignoring the

:37:29. > :37:31.needs of areas such as mine. Things like the Shipley Eastern bypass

:37:32. > :37:35.which is vital for my local economy. What can the Minister do to make

:37:36. > :37:39.sure that the government's money is spent in areas like Shipley as one

:37:40. > :37:43.of the Labour heartlands, or if he cannot persuade them to do that,

:37:44. > :37:51.will heed directly fund a Shipley Eastern I pass that my -- bypass

:37:52. > :37:54.that my constituents need? One of the important changes that has

:37:55. > :37:59.happened since we have moved from the RDA to having local enterprise

:38:00. > :38:02.partnerships is that it is the business and economic considerations

:38:03. > :38:05.that are considered more than maybe some local political objectives,

:38:06. > :38:11.that is a great change we have brought in and far less pork barrel

:38:12. > :38:18.politics going on in Yorkshire, I hope. There are number of major

:38:19. > :38:21.transport projects in the northern powerhouse but they seem to omit

:38:22. > :38:25.West Cumbria. Will the government do to look at how we can prove our

:38:26. > :38:31.transport inks, particularly looking at the nuclear developers we have

:38:32. > :38:35.locally? We understand that all parts of the country including the

:38:36. > :38:43.peripheral parts benefit from transport investment which is why it

:38:44. > :38:46.is good news that this government does understand that, unlike the

:38:47. > :38:53.previous government that did not see it as a priority. Question 13. My

:38:54. > :38:58.noble friend the Parliamentary undersecretary of state has been in

:38:59. > :39:01.discussion with the driver and vehicle standards agency about

:39:02. > :39:04.trialling changes to the practical driving test to make it more

:39:05. > :39:11.effective in modern driving traditions. We have also been in

:39:12. > :39:17.discussion about future provision of the UK driving theory test. I have

:39:18. > :39:20.received a number of concerns from driving instructors and pupils about

:39:21. > :39:26.significant delays in obtaining dates for tests at the Bletchley

:39:27. > :39:30.Centre in my constituency. DVSA said they are investing more resources

:39:31. > :39:37.but it remains an issue. May he take this up urgently with the new Chief

:39:38. > :39:42.Executive? Demand for driving tests have been increasing rapidly, it has

:39:43. > :39:47.gone up by over 50% since 2013 and we expect that to continue. We have

:39:48. > :39:54.seen the same pattern in HGV tests. The DVSA has responded by bringing

:39:55. > :39:59.in more examiners, and improving forecasting, redeploying examiners

:40:00. > :40:03.to those centres of higher waiting times. I would be happy to take up

:40:04. > :40:08.the Bletchley Centre with the new chief executive. We are also getting

:40:09. > :40:15.complaints in Kettering about delays for driving tests and cancellations

:40:16. > :40:19.of appointment, can our excellent road Minister gets on top of this

:40:20. > :40:23.before it gets out of control? I am happy to take forward these issues

:40:24. > :40:33.wherever we have local problems, for any colleague in these houses, with

:40:34. > :40:37.the DVSA. Under 14. On the 27th of March, during the Easter break when

:40:38. > :40:42.people had plenty of time to read it, we publish the draft cycling and

:40:43. > :40:49.walking strategy. We want everyone in the country including those in

:40:50. > :40:51.rural areas to have access to safe and attractive cycling routes. Local

:40:52. > :40:56.authorities have a detailed understanding of their roots and

:40:57. > :41:00.have the best knowledge of where cyclists could be placed on local

:41:01. > :41:05.roads. Safe and attractive cycling routes are important but a number of

:41:06. > :41:09.cyclists have written to me about the problem of potholes and cycling,

:41:10. > :41:13.something of which I have personal experience and the scars to prove

:41:14. > :41:17.it, I do not intend to show my honourable friend where it is. Will

:41:18. > :41:21.he join me in welcoming the 28.4 million that Lincolnshire County

:41:22. > :41:26.Council are receiving in this year for highways maintenance in terms of

:41:27. > :41:28.financial assistance? Will he also encourage highways officers in

:41:29. > :41:32.Lincolnshire to keep doing what they can to reduce the risks to cyclists

:41:33. > :41:37.from the dangerous potholes? Lincolnshire is a wonderful county

:41:38. > :41:44.to cycle in not least because it is relatively flat. The government has

:41:45. > :41:47.allocated substantial funds for the repair of potholes. I would

:41:48. > :41:51.encourage local authorities to concentrate on how effectively they

:41:52. > :41:54.are using that money, there is some good new technology which will mean

:41:55. > :41:58.that not only potholes can be repaired but they will stay

:41:59. > :41:59.repaired. We often hear stories about temporary repairs opened up

:42:00. > :42:09.quickly. Mr Speaker, in the last six years we

:42:10. > :42:12.have electrified five times as many miles of track than the previous

:42:13. > :42:16.Labour government did in 13 years, and almost all of this work has been

:42:17. > :42:21.in the North of England. I call that good progress. Perhaps the Minister

:42:22. > :42:29.can explain to me why the hundred million pound or to Selby privately

:42:30. > :42:35.financed rail electrification scheme has been stuck in the Department for

:42:36. > :42:39.Transport for nearly two years now? Her department is announcing schemes

:42:40. > :42:41.like the 27 billion is the Crossrail two between Hertfordshire and

:42:42. > :42:44.Surbiton but if she is really serious about the Northern

:42:45. > :42:54.Powerhouse, why can she not get a break alarm and get this privately

:42:55. > :42:59.financed scheme actually happening? I think that is Humberside for a

:43:00. > :43:04.wiggle, but I completely share the lady's enthusiasm for faster rail

:43:05. > :43:08.for her constituents, which is why the new franchise that we let last

:43:09. > :43:15.year will give her constituents brand new trains, more services,

:43:16. > :43:18.more direct connections, and Hull is getting 1.4 million for its new

:43:19. > :43:22.station in time for it to take its pride of place in time for the UK

:43:23. > :43:29.city of culture 2017. She should be pleased that. We may be losing our

:43:30. > :43:32.direct link to South Manchester and the airport through Piccadilly. Why

:43:33. > :43:39.is this happening and how is it progress? Mr Speaker, the honourable

:43:40. > :43:47.gentleman is raising a service question to me that I am not a cross

:43:48. > :43:52.but I will get back to him. Topical questions. We continue to do that on

:43:53. > :44:03.issues that affect the motorist. Following the findings last year

:44:04. > :44:09.to ensure that similar devices were not present on other models. The

:44:10. > :44:12.test confirmed that they were not, but the tests did confirm that

:44:13. > :44:17.existing lab tests designed to ensure emission limits were met are

:44:18. > :44:22.inadequate, and this is why we have been at the forefront of securing a

:44:23. > :44:30.tough new European wide real driving test emissions tests. We also have

:44:31. > :44:36.announced further funding to help with the problem of potholes based

:44:37. > :44:40.across the country. Mr Speaker, I recently completed a blindfolded

:44:41. > :44:42.walk with that excellent charity, guide dogs, to try to understand the

:44:43. > :44:48.challenges faced by visually impaired people. I am greatly

:44:49. > :44:53.supportive of their campaign to improve access for guide dog owners

:44:54. > :44:58.with the dogs. It is not right that they can often be refused access to

:44:59. > :45:04.businesses and services because the dogs with them. What steps is the

:45:05. > :45:08.Secretary of State taking to ensure that taxi and private vehicle

:45:09. > :45:11.drivers receive adequate disability awareness training, because there

:45:12. > :45:14.are still a large number of guide dog owners that are being turned

:45:15. > :45:20.away from these vital transport services? Mr Speaker, I am grateful

:45:21. > :45:25.for the point my honourable friend makes and entirely agree with the

:45:26. > :45:29.point she makes. Taxi and private trading higher vehicles are

:45:30. > :45:32.essential for many disabled people. Drivers are required to make

:45:33. > :45:37.reasonable adjustments for disabled passengers, and it is a criminal

:45:38. > :45:40.offence to refuse and assistance dog. Failure to comply with this

:45:41. > :45:50.requirement cameras in prosecution and a fine on conviction up to

:45:51. > :45:54.?1000. A driver was recently fined ?1546 for refusing access to a guide

:45:55. > :45:58.dog, which includes a legal costs, Inc ordering -- in addition to the

:45:59. > :46:01.fine, and I think that message needs to go out right across the whole

:46:02. > :46:09.industry and we will draw it to the attention of the licensing

:46:10. > :46:15.authorities. On Monday, the Ministry of state said Volkswagen Arena fixed

:46:16. > :46:19.any cars yet in this country. Mr Speaker, Knox emissions pose a

:46:20. > :46:23.serious health risk to drivers, and everyone, and as he acknowledged, we

:46:24. > :46:33.now know that all manufacturers produce diesel models that pollute

:46:34. > :46:37.above approved limits. How is he going to affect nox emissions, and

:46:38. > :46:41.will he take further action that when it comes to Volkswagen the UK

:46:42. > :46:47.is not left at the back of the queue? The Ministry of state and

:46:48. > :46:52.myself have been dealing with this matter but before I get to being

:46:53. > :46:55.attacked for not doing sufficient, I think the honourable lady needs to

:46:56. > :47:19.remind who started the - the diesel. He reduced diesel cars to 20% of the

:47:20. > :47:26.UK fleet. Of course those decisions were based on the science at the

:47:27. > :47:31.time. But as he knows, American owners may be entitled up to $5,000

:47:32. > :47:35.in compensation while the owners of 1.2 million VW vehicles in this

:47:36. > :47:39.country are not receiving a penny. Last week, the number ten press

:47:40. > :47:42.machine was assuring us that the Transport Secretary has pressed VW

:47:43. > :47:47.on the specific issue of this discrepancy of compensation. But on

:47:48. > :47:49.Monday the ministry of state said compensation was a matter for the

:47:50. > :47:54.courts and not ministers. Mr Speaker, this is a matter of basic

:47:55. > :47:57.fairness. So when is the Transport Secretary going to step up a gear

:47:58. > :48:03.and fight for a decent compensation deal for UK Volkswagen drivers? We

:48:04. > :48:09.have made it perfectly clear, I have made it clear in meetings I have

:48:10. > :48:12.had, my honourable friend the Minister of State has made it clear

:48:13. > :48:16.not just with box wagon but other manufacturers as well, that this is

:48:17. > :48:19.a subject we take very seriously. We want to see action taking place, but

:48:20. > :48:25.I am glad the honourable lady said that was based when she responded to

:48:26. > :48:29.the huge increase in diesel cars in this country. It was based on

:48:30. > :48:35.evidence at the time. It just shows not the proper research was done at

:48:36. > :48:40.the time. The Minister will be aware the House of Lords has recently

:48:41. > :48:46.completed a review into the impact into the equality act on disabled

:48:47. > :48:49.people, a large part of which focused on accessible at it to taxes

:48:50. > :48:58.and private hire vehicles. Can the house be updated on this? I can

:48:59. > :49:01.indeed update the house. The government is committed to ensuring

:49:02. > :49:04.that disabled people have the same access to transport services and

:49:05. > :49:09.opportunities to travel as everybody is within our society. We plan to

:49:10. > :49:13.comment sections 165 and 167 of the equality act 2010 by the end of this

:49:14. > :49:17.year. I was pleased to see this raised in the Lords report. I had

:49:18. > :49:19.been working on it for some time in this section will require drivers to

:49:20. > :49:26.provide assistance to wheelchair users and a friend from charging

:49:27. > :49:33.extra. Will the Minister take the trouble to come to the north-east

:49:34. > :49:35.and take the train from Lumb for Middlesbrough to Newcastle, an

:49:36. > :49:40.ancient place of train that takes almost 90 minutes, you could almost

:49:41. > :49:43.do the journey quicker by bicycle. If we had a new train every time

:49:44. > :49:47.they had been an announcement that they would be replaced, we would

:49:48. > :49:54.have a whole fleet. But if a minister came and got a wiggle on,

:49:55. > :50:00.it might... LAUGHTER I think I need a bit of mentoring in

:50:01. > :50:09.some dialect that is being used this morning. What I would say is that in

:50:10. > :50:14.the 13 years that the last government were in operation, they

:50:15. > :50:18.did nothing to improve the system. I am very glad to say that by 2020

:50:19. > :50:23.there will be new trains operating on the lines he is talking about, as

:50:24. > :50:27.a result of a decision I took which to override the advice and to

:50:28. > :50:31.instruct the permanent secretary that we would have new trains on

:50:32. > :50:38.that particular line and it is a decision I am very proud. Network

:50:39. > :50:43.Rail, every time I come across it, seems to have a great deal of power

:50:44. > :50:46.but to be utterly unaccountable to central government. As we are seeing

:50:47. > :50:49.in Lincolnshire, that power that Network Rail has can be used to

:50:50. > :50:52.frustrate growth infrastructure schemes which have the support of

:50:53. > :50:56.local authorities. What can be done by my right honourable friend to

:50:57. > :50:59.ensure that Network Rail does not surrender schemes in the best

:51:00. > :51:04.interests of local people and are supported by local authorities? Mr

:51:05. > :51:09.Speaker, the best schemes are those that are strongly supported by local

:51:10. > :51:12.authorities and local businesses, and Network Rail is in a new phase

:51:13. > :51:15.where the root responsibility will be devolved, and they will be

:51:16. > :51:21.working to a set of investment plans agreed based on a very important

:51:22. > :51:25.bottom-up analysis. Over the last ten years, the destination and

:51:26. > :51:28.routes from Scotland have doubled, flights to London have fallen by

:51:29. > :51:34.more than a third. Not only do we need starter routes, but up the

:51:35. > :51:37.frequency in these routes and guarantee them, which would allow

:51:38. > :51:42.them to bed in and be fully established. Will the Minister

:51:43. > :51:44.establish a point-to-point public service obligation, including

:51:45. > :51:50.specific regional hub airports, and do all he can to create BSOs for

:51:51. > :51:58.airports such as in sky in my constituency. We understand that

:51:59. > :52:02.importance. I am very pleased we have seen such a successful uptake

:52:03. > :52:12.of these, and a number of routes have been studied which have not

:52:13. > :52:15.acquired subsidies. The slogan of cross-country trains is going that

:52:16. > :52:18.bit further, and my constituents would be delighted if they did

:52:19. > :52:23.exactly that and instruct did more than three out of 63 trains on the

:52:24. > :52:28.InterCity service between Birmingham and Bristol to stop at the city of

:52:29. > :52:31.Gloucester. Would my honourable friend confirm whether the

:52:32. > :52:34.department would require cross-country to restore decent

:52:35. > :52:39.services on that line is part of their franchise extension? Nobody

:52:40. > :52:45.could be more assiduous in calling for those service requirements, but

:52:46. > :52:50.of course what we must not have his services to cities like Cheltenham

:52:51. > :52:53.lost as a change he is requiring. I can confirm discussions are ongoing.

:52:54. > :52:57.We have asked cross-country to report on the best way to deliver

:52:58. > :53:09.the services he is talking about. I am looking forward to discussing

:53:10. > :53:12.that with him shortly. Despite the Secretary of State's pride, the

:53:13. > :53:17.North remains hugely underinvested in transport terms in comparison

:53:18. > :53:20.with London especially by a ratio of 24 to one. Now ministers are saying

:53:21. > :53:25.they are going to cut the subsidy to the Northern franchise by up to 85%.

:53:26. > :53:30.Does he really think it adds to the credibility of the Northern

:53:31. > :53:35.powerhouse that it takes half a day to cross it didn't trains better

:53:36. > :53:38.suited to a railway museum? What I would like to offer politicians is

:53:39. > :53:43.another briefing about what these new franchises are going to deliver.

:53:44. > :53:45.It sounds a bit like the generation game, Mr Speaker, but her

:53:46. > :53:49.constituents, thanks to my government, are going to get rid of

:53:50. > :53:52.those outdated trains, get many more services and much better quality,

:53:53. > :54:00.and that will be delivered at less cost to the taxpayer. Only a Labour

:54:01. > :54:05.politician could argue for worse services and less subsidy, Mr

:54:06. > :54:08.Speaker. We have been very positive about the new Northern rain --

:54:09. > :54:12.Northern Rail franchise but there are throngs of people who want to

:54:13. > :54:16.get from Leeds to Google, but are incapable of doing that at the

:54:17. > :54:19.moment, and there may even be some who want to get from Google to

:54:20. > :54:24.Leeds. They are unable to the moment. It is the same on the break

:54:25. > :54:28.to Sheffield line. Very underutilised lines. What

:54:29. > :54:31.opportunities and -- are there to get those improved services and will

:54:32. > :54:40.the Minister come and ride the train with us? I think the Honourable

:54:41. > :54:45.Speaker wanted the rail minister, rather than him. LAUGHTER

:54:46. > :54:49.I think he is lumbered with the Secretary of State! What he wants

:54:50. > :54:55.and what he gets, Mr Speaker, our two entirely different points.

:54:56. > :55:01.LAUGHTER I am very grateful to my honourable

:55:02. > :55:05.friend for talking about the need to improve capacity on the networks,

:55:06. > :55:11.and I am very interested here of all the people that wish to travel,

:55:12. > :55:14.lying, I think the new rail franchise given for the North will

:55:15. > :55:18.give a tremendous increase in capacity, and a lot of new routes,

:55:19. > :55:25.and we will see whether his arguments stand up. With the 400th

:55:26. > :55:31.anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers, can we get a helping hand to do up

:55:32. > :55:35.Retford railway station, including the car parking, so that people can

:55:36. > :55:42.see the best of British when they visit my area? Mr Speaker, I think

:55:43. > :55:48.the honourable member is far more familiar with Retford station than I

:55:49. > :55:51.am afraid I am, but it is certainly something that would be considered

:55:52. > :55:57.in the local growth fund, and I would suggest that he goes through

:55:58. > :56:03.the necessary procedures to encourage his Citroen two to apply

:56:04. > :56:08.for it. The road master velocity patch can fill 300 potholes in a

:56:09. > :56:14.day, and Lincolnshire has got one! But we would like more. What can the

:56:15. > :56:20.Minister offer my county council by way of help to either get more, and

:56:21. > :56:24.would he consider incentivising councils to work together so that we

:56:25. > :56:36.can increase the nationwide fleet of these fantastic machines? I am aware

:56:37. > :56:39.of the road master velocity patch. The government certainly supports

:56:40. > :56:52.the use of innovative and efficient methods. -- Roadmaster Velocity

:56:53. > :56:55.Patcher. Valli it includes an element of collaboration, so I would

:56:56. > :56:58.like to see local authorities working with their neighbours right

:56:59. > :57:04.across the country in exactly the same way as my honourable friend

:57:05. > :57:06.describes. The Minister clearly enjoys a life of undiluted

:57:07. > :57:13.excitement! LAUGHTER Mr Carmichael. What is the

:57:14. > :57:19.government doing to stem the flow of job losses amongst British qualified

:57:20. > :57:23.seafarers? And particular, will be shipping minister have a look at how

:57:24. > :57:27.some of our own regulation is operating here? My constituents tell

:57:28. > :57:30.me that the operation of the certificates of the equivalent in

:57:31. > :57:34.confidence for example putting them at a disadvantage, compared to

:57:35. > :57:39.seafarers from other parts of the world.

:57:40. > :57:46.Thank you. We certainly have the best qualified seafarers in the

:57:47. > :57:51.world, not due in no small part to the schemes and funding of ?15

:57:52. > :57:54.million per year. It is of concern if people less qualified are taking

:57:55. > :57:59.jobs and I know of particular problems in the North Sea and this

:58:00. > :58:03.is something I would be very pleased to talk about with the honourable

:58:04. > :58:10.gentleman in more detail. Can my honourable friend reassure me that

:58:11. > :58:14.the Department is investing in in apprentice training programmes so

:58:15. > :58:17.that the country has the skills to carry on without world leading

:58:18. > :58:23.transport programme and improvements? I can indeed give my

:58:24. > :58:28.honourable friend that insurance -- assurance. The strategy sets targets

:58:29. > :58:32.for ensuring apprenticeship throughout the scheme and will

:58:33. > :58:38.deliver them within contracts. One apprenticeship will be created for

:58:39. > :58:44.everyone with ?5 million worth of scheme and they are at the heart of

:58:45. > :58:50.our agenda. I will freely admit I want the Secretary of State and I

:58:51. > :58:57.hope I am going to get him, because he has visited my constituency and

:58:58. > :59:01.he knows it is being used as a slip road off the M25 through a

:59:02. > :59:06.residential area with a very serious accident area -- accident record and

:59:07. > :59:11.a lot of freight coming into North London using it as a wheat to

:59:12. > :59:16.central London. Can I ask him in good faith to meet with me and two

:59:17. > :59:19.of the leading resident representatives to discuss this

:59:20. > :59:29.very, very serious issue and find a satisfactory way forward? Sometimes

:59:30. > :59:32.you get what you want, Mr Speaker. I'm more than happy to meet the

:59:33. > :59:36.honourable member on this. There does seem to be some confusion as to

:59:37. > :59:42.whether it is a matter for transport for London or highways England, but

:59:43. > :59:47.that is no answer to the people suffering the problems. It is a very

:59:48. > :59:54.difficult area to deal with because of all the residential implications

:59:55. > :59:58.but we will have that meeting. I don't really care who answers the

:59:59. > :00:04.question, but from the minister's description earlier, the local major

:00:05. > :00:10.transports fund could have been made for the Southern Link project in

:00:11. > :00:13.Worcester that I understand a bit with the tinfoil and can I say to

:00:14. > :00:20.the Secretary of State and his team that they should be no wiggle room

:00:21. > :00:28.for them in approving this project? I visited almost a year ago to the

:00:29. > :00:35.day the site which my honourable friend refers to. I viewed

:00:36. > :00:40.Carrington Bridge from a site which was previously opened by his father

:00:41. > :00:45.some 30 years before that. I think the point that my honourable friend

:00:46. > :00:48.makes about this being a suitable scheme for the local major 's fund

:00:49. > :00:54.is one that should be considered and I urge the local authority to put an

:00:55. > :00:59.application in for it to be considered. Will the Secretary of

:01:00. > :01:07.State work with the new Labour, obviously, man of London to ensure

:01:08. > :01:09.the effective development of the HS2 Crossrail interchange? Will he

:01:10. > :01:13.revisit the deal that he did with the current Mayor of London in 2014

:01:14. > :01:20.which means that no development can take place on the site unless there

:01:21. > :01:30.is a very expensive movement of the lines almost as soon as they open?

:01:31. > :01:36.Unlike the honourable member, I take no elections for granted but I very

:01:37. > :01:40.much hope the London mayor will be the honourable member for Richmond

:01:41. > :01:45.who will work better with the Government banned the honourable

:01:46. > :01:48.member for teaching. As far as the comment goes, it is important when

:01:49. > :01:54.we talk about the infrastructure where that site is concerned, it is

:01:55. > :02:00.going to be a major transport hub in the United Kingdom and getting it

:02:01. > :02:05.right is very important. The Department has responsibilities to a

:02:06. > :02:12.lumber of local and national transport infrastructure projects

:02:13. > :02:17.and will the member of state right into contracts that we will put you

:02:18. > :02:22.at British Steel for these projects? I am very happy to say that we have

:02:23. > :02:25.made a number of changes to our procurement process to exactly

:02:26. > :02:29.reflect the point is that my honourable friend makes and where

:02:30. > :02:37.ever we can, we should be supporting our own industry. It has to be on a

:02:38. > :02:43.fair basis. There are special cases around British Steel and 98% of the

:02:44. > :02:52.bridge -ish -- this deal we purchase is British Steel. Urgent question,

:02:53. > :03:00.Mr Bernard Jenkin. I am most grateful to ask the Prime Minister

:03:01. > :03:05.if he will ask for an enquiry to be launched on whether discussions

:03:06. > :03:11.between the trade unions and the Labour Party on amendments of the

:03:12. > :03:21.trade union Beale -- trade union bill constitute a breach of the

:03:22. > :03:25.conduct. The Cabinet Office has advised me that there is no breach

:03:26. > :03:31.and nothing for the priming is to's adviser on ministerial interest to

:03:32. > :03:32.investigate. As is customary at such