:00:00. > :00:00.debate of the battle of Passchendaele. I will have a
:00:00. > :00:15.round-up of the day in Parliament tonight, but first, Chris Gayle in
:00:16. > :00:19.-- Chris Grayling. Questions to be Secretary of State for Transport.
:00:20. > :00:25.Before I respond, can I welcome the new members of the Labour front
:00:26. > :00:32.bench and also congratulate the new chair of the transport committee on
:00:33. > :00:36.her success yesterday. The department has given two schemes the
:00:37. > :00:41.go-ahead. We are looking at the coast to approve up to you four more
:00:42. > :00:46.and funding of 30 more schemes will be considered in the future. We
:00:47. > :00:50.announced the creation of a major road network which will allow a
:00:51. > :00:53.greater number of road improvement projects to come forward. Details of
:00:54. > :01:05.that will be consulted upon later this year. Should be read in my
:01:06. > :01:15.constituency that is used as a film set, should it be opened? And what
:01:16. > :01:22.would the Department do about it? Having walked the road to nowhere, I
:01:23. > :01:27.agree that it would be better if they were genuine motorists and not
:01:28. > :01:34.just those taking part in soap operas. Through the growth fund we
:01:35. > :01:38.supply funds for schemes like that and it might be eligible for
:01:39. > :01:43.consideration, depending on connectivity either end. I agree
:01:44. > :01:49.that it would be better if it was opened to motorists. Dorset is a
:01:50. > :01:56.wonderful place to live, work and visit, but our roads in Dorset
:01:57. > :01:59.become congested, especially in the summer months. What assurances can
:02:00. > :02:03.the Secretary of State give to me and my constituents that major
:02:04. > :02:08.infrastructure projects in Dorset are a priority for this government?
:02:09. > :02:14.There are two ways in which I hope we can deliver support. First of all
:02:15. > :02:19.for those parts of the strategic road network that runs through
:02:20. > :02:23.Dorsett, high with England is looking at what the next generation
:02:24. > :02:29.of projects should be. Also the creation of the major road network
:02:30. > :02:37.and the creation of more bypasses which will play an important role in
:02:38. > :02:39.counties like Dorset where there is through traffic that the town is not
:02:40. > :02:59.suited to. The Metro is well past its 35 year
:03:00. > :03:04.design existence. Is this secretary of state aware of this situation and
:03:05. > :03:10.can he tell us when he will provide the funds to replace the fleet.
:03:11. > :03:13.First of all, can I congratulate the honourable gentleman to his
:03:14. > :03:18.re-election to the backbench committee. I am aware of the issue
:03:19. > :03:26.and I understand the importance of the Metro and the Newcastle area. My
:03:27. > :03:30.department is looking carefully at what the best options are for the
:03:31. > :03:39.future. I understand the need to make change so that the Metro can
:03:40. > :03:46.continue to serve people. But this Secretary of State commit to
:03:47. > :03:52.providing a comprehensive package for the South Wales Metro? We are
:03:53. > :03:56.providing a substantial contribution towards the south Wales Metro and I
:03:57. > :04:00.have extended an offer to the Welsh government to enable them to take
:04:01. > :04:07.over the infrastructure so it can run an integrated service. I will
:04:08. > :04:12.weight with interest to see what they bring forward. Since Crossrail
:04:13. > :04:20.and the Thames link upgrade work proposed, does he welcomed the fact
:04:21. > :04:29.that it is a Conservative government that has been behind the completion?
:04:30. > :04:32.I am excited about Crossrail. It is the biggest engineering project of
:04:33. > :04:38.its kind in Europe and I hope we can build on that expertise for UK plc
:04:39. > :04:41.to win contracts internationally. Thames Link when it opens next year
:04:42. > :04:50.will make a real difference to passengers in the north and South.
:04:51. > :04:55.Could he tell me what he intends to do about the terrible transport
:04:56. > :05:06.infrastructure investment between London and the North East resulting
:05:07. > :05:13.in ?1943 being spent in London. People in North West Durham are
:05:14. > :05:19.important as well. The balance between regions will depend on what
:05:20. > :05:24.projects are happening at the time. She will have seen from our
:05:25. > :05:26.manifesto our commitment to the Northern Powerhouse rell. I am
:05:27. > :05:36.waiting to recommendations about what form it should take. The other
:05:37. > :05:47.benefits for her constituency will be new express trains on being
:05:48. > :05:51.north-east line. Would the Secretary of State meet with me and local
:05:52. > :05:56.campaigners to get the electrification of the railway in
:05:57. > :06:01.Wilton on track? I am happy to meet my honourable friend. I recognise
:06:02. > :06:09.the issue. There is the private sector proposal that I said we will
:06:10. > :06:12.look at to create BML too. We need to look at what is the best future
:06:13. > :06:17.for the route and I am happy to meet her. Why doesn't the Secretary of
:06:18. > :06:21.State for Transport tell his friends that some of these so-called
:06:22. > :06:28.projects are pie in the sky from a government that has already
:06:29. > :06:33.committed to spending more than ?80 billion on the HS2 in which there is
:06:34. > :06:39.going to be to track through Derbyshire. Not one, too. One is
:06:40. > :06:45.slow track, one a fast track. Why doesn't he get real and understand
:06:46. > :06:50.there should be a reassessment of HS2. He only has a tiny majority and
:06:51. > :06:56.believe me there are a lot of people on both sides of this house who are
:06:57. > :07:00.fed up of the idea of spending money in the far distant future for a when
:07:01. > :07:08.there's all these projects on the order paper today where they need
:07:09. > :07:13.action. Mr Speaker, all I can say is I am very surprised that he is
:07:14. > :07:16.talking about opposing a scheme that will deliver capacity improvements
:07:17. > :07:21.and Jenny improvements between the great cities of the zero that will
:07:22. > :07:23.link Birmingham and Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham,
:07:24. > :07:26.Birmingham at Sheffield, Birmingham and Leeds and it will make a
:07:27. > :07:41.difference economically to the areas he represents.
:07:42. > :07:46.Question number two. My department is working closely with other
:07:47. > :07:51.departments including the Home Office to ensure that ports,
:07:52. > :08:03.airports and other transport hubs are prepared for when we leave the
:08:04. > :08:09.European Union. We do know that Brexit will mean profound challenges
:08:10. > :08:19.at airports and ports, but there should be a 200% increase for border
:08:20. > :08:24.security, but we have seen a 15% cut. How can we make sure that we
:08:25. > :08:28.have passenger safety after Brexit? Our ambition after Brexit is to have
:08:29. > :08:33.borders that function in as close to the current way as possible. What we
:08:34. > :08:38.don't want to do is deter tourists and business people from coming into
:08:39. > :08:42.the country. Having a managed migration system does not mean that
:08:43. > :08:51.you have two create barriers to tourists. The Secretary of State did
:08:52. > :09:01.not provide any substance in his answer in terms of the discussion he
:09:02. > :09:13.is having. EU nationals are processed quickly using scanning
:09:14. > :09:21.processes. The EU is planning a Visa system for non-EU citizens. What
:09:22. > :09:26.will be the impact of that when the UK leads the EU? We have discussions
:09:27. > :09:30.all the time about exit arrangements. We had a committee
:09:31. > :09:38.meeting to that effect yesterday. It is not our intention or desire to
:09:39. > :09:41.direct barriers at the Borders. We are investing in automated gates to
:09:42. > :09:55.speed the flow through our borders and will continue to do things like
:09:56. > :10:01.that. The open skies agreement is important in reaching airports such
:10:02. > :10:06.as Prestwick in my constituency. The PM said that she had discussions
:10:07. > :10:12.about this this week, but can the secretary of state confirm that we
:10:13. > :10:17.will remain a member of the open skies? I am confident that after we
:10:18. > :10:22.have left the European Union there will be an open skies agreement with
:10:23. > :10:26.the United States. I've had discussions with my US counterparts.
:10:27. > :10:33.There is a desire that arrangements remain as they are at the moment.
:10:34. > :10:45.Can the Minister clarify that on our leaving the EU we will remain
:10:46. > :10:48.members of... Obviously the detail that has come out of the
:10:49. > :10:54.negotiations, we want to collaborate with our European partners on safety
:10:55. > :10:58.issues, as we want to do with other organisations around the world. I
:10:59. > :11:02.see nothing to suggest that will change after we have left. Have we
:11:03. > :11:13.not already seen this government was much shocking acceptance by
:11:14. > :11:23.condoning the leasing of Qatar airlines. The substitute Chris and
:11:24. > :11:32.they are not subject to the same space base -- safety standards. All
:11:33. > :11:37.other airlines that operate in and out of the UK are subject to these
:11:38. > :11:40.same safety checks. They would not be able to use UK airports if we
:11:41. > :11:48.were confident they were safe airlines to fly with.
:11:49. > :11:55.Lord Russell Moyle? Not here. I hope he is all right. We will move on.
:11:56. > :12:04.Rachel Maclean. Number four, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The
:12:05. > :12:07.government seeks to make cycling and walking the natural choices for
:12:08. > :12:12.people for short journeys or indeed as part of a longer journey. In
:12:13. > :12:15.April this year we passed the first ever investment strategy for
:12:16. > :12:21.England. It sets out plans for increasing cycling and walking and
:12:22. > :12:27.identifies ?1.2 billion of funding which may be invested until 2021.
:12:28. > :12:32.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank my honourable friend for his remarks.
:12:33. > :12:39.In my constituency of Redditch there are many foot baths, cut through 's
:12:40. > :12:42.and small tracks linking green spaces together. They are pleasant
:12:43. > :12:46.for residents to make use of their leisure time. But they are not
:12:47. > :12:51.always visible on platforms such as Google maps. We would like to
:12:52. > :12:55.encourage health and well-being in our constituency. Can he confirm
:12:56. > :13:01.what discussions he had with technology platforms to make this
:13:02. > :13:05.more assessable to local residents? I thank the honourable lady for her
:13:06. > :13:11.questions. I share her delight in these informal pathways of which we
:13:12. > :13:14.have an enormous number in Herefordshire, as she might imagine.
:13:15. > :13:20.Local authorities in the first instance are best placed to use
:13:21. > :13:24.their knowledge and understanding of local networks as well as tourist
:13:25. > :13:32.agencies and some local map providers. But from my point of view
:13:33. > :13:36.there have not yet been any discussions with the electronic
:13:37. > :13:40.mapping services. But I do take the point and have already made plans to
:13:41. > :13:46.meet with some of them in order to take forward this agenda. Thank you,
:13:47. > :13:52.Mr Speaker. You will know on the roads every year there are many
:13:53. > :13:54.cyclists who are killed and injured. In my constituency, we had one
:13:55. > :14:00.person killed this week and two injured. At the same time we want to
:14:01. > :14:04.look at the issue of how to improve cycling and we have had discussions,
:14:05. > :14:08.can I ask what discussions he has had with the health Department to
:14:09. > :14:11.make sure there is more exercise but at the same time keep safe on the
:14:12. > :14:17.roads? I recognise the problem he raises. I have personally not had
:14:18. > :14:22.any discussions of the kind he describes. But the gum is making
:14:23. > :14:30.significant investment in improving safety for cyclists. -- government.
:14:31. > :14:34.It also improves cycle facilities and cycle lanes and the like and
:14:35. > :14:40.that will be the continuous part of a programme in the following years.
:14:41. > :14:43.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can he reassure me he is having regular
:14:44. > :14:49.discussions about promoting cycling and walking networks in new
:14:50. > :14:54.developments? We have a big opportunity in Taunton Deane now we
:14:55. > :15:00.have the garden town status. And I know constituents would like to link
:15:01. > :15:06.up with Saint Luke and fits Warren and if the Minister could help with
:15:07. > :15:14.some money to unlock that, would he agree to meet with me to discuss it?
:15:15. > :15:19.Nothing... As a keen cyclist, I look forward to meeting her and
:15:20. > :15:26.discussing bad. There are plenty of pots of money potentially available.
:15:27. > :15:29.-- discussing this. We have been discussing this notably on the local
:15:30. > :15:35.growth fund. Number five, Mr Speaker. I congratulate the
:15:36. > :15:40.honourable lady on her election to this House. The electoral work is
:15:41. > :15:44.continuing on the Western mainline. The good news for her constituents
:15:45. > :15:48.and others in south Wales is the next generation of electric trains
:15:49. > :15:52.arrive in Cardiff and Swansea this autumn. They will provide more
:15:53. > :15:58.seats, better journey experiences. It is good news for rail users in
:15:59. > :16:02.south Wales and the West Country. It has been reported the Secretary of
:16:03. > :16:05.State is announcing more delays to the great Western mainline
:16:06. > :16:09.electrification programme. My constituency in Gower are fed up
:16:10. > :16:17.with the content the Government shows regarding investment. Can the
:16:18. > :16:22.secretary of state confirmed this is going to happen? -- with the
:16:23. > :16:28.contempt. We need to make Swansea the gateway to West Wales. I
:16:29. > :16:32.appreciate the importance of transport to Swansea. That is why I
:16:33. > :16:35.am doing what her constituents would want, to deliver a better journey
:16:36. > :16:39.experience not in several years, but this autumn. We will have a new
:16:40. > :16:44.generation trains providing much better journeys into London, exactly
:16:45. > :16:47.the kind of service her constituents would want and I hope she will be
:16:48. > :16:50.there to see it and realise what a difference we are going to make to
:16:51. > :16:56.rail journeys in south Wales and elsewhere. Can I congratulate the
:16:57. > :16:59.Secretary of State on a moving ahead with the electrification of the
:17:00. > :17:05.railway line into south Wales and through Swansea? I can remind him a
:17:06. > :17:10.Conservative Secretary of State announced the electrification of the
:17:11. > :17:13.railway as far as Swansea and the Labour Party opposite did not
:17:14. > :17:20.electrify a single inch of the rail lines in Wales to improve the Welsh
:17:21. > :17:24.economy. If I remember rightly in 13 years they electrified only ten
:17:25. > :17:27.miles. The important thing is we have got to make sure first and
:17:28. > :17:33.foremost we are delivering better journeys for passengers. I am
:17:34. > :17:37.pleased the changes this autumn mean you trains arrive in Swansea and
:17:38. > :17:39.other parts of south Wales with an immediate improvement in journeys
:17:40. > :17:44.for passengers. That is what we really want. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
:17:45. > :17:49.We make the most of the benefits in south Wales, but we need new
:17:50. > :17:52.stations to make the best of their capacity on the line. With the
:17:53. > :17:57.Secretary of State agreed the proposal in the east of Cardiff is a
:17:58. > :18:02.good proposal, backed by the private sector, across parties, the Welsh
:18:03. > :18:06.government and Cardiff Council? When can we expect a decision on the new
:18:07. > :18:11.station 's fund? It is an interesting proposal. It does not
:18:12. > :18:14.need quite the same approval a station seeking public funding would
:18:15. > :18:18.need. I'm happy for the project to go ahead. The real issue is about
:18:19. > :18:23.making sure it can work with timetables so trains tan stop and
:18:24. > :18:26.services can work. Private sector funding projects, I see no reason
:18:27. > :18:31.why any of us would do anything else other than want to support it is
:18:32. > :18:36.practical to do it. Number six, Mr Speaker. The Minister of State at
:18:37. > :18:46.the Department of transport, Minister. It is always a delight to
:18:47. > :18:51.fall under your gaze. The industrial strategy Green paper set out the
:18:52. > :18:54.Government commitments to take account of the balance of spending
:18:55. > :18:59.per head on infrastructure between different regions. The honourable
:19:00. > :19:05.lady will be familiar with the transport and investment strategy,
:19:06. > :19:09.published only last week. Which sets out the Government's priorities for
:19:10. > :19:14.investment, supporting growth right across the country. In future I can
:19:15. > :19:18.assure her that how projects contribute to a more balanced
:19:19. > :19:25.economy will be measured and valued in a way that it has never been
:19:26. > :19:30.before. Diana Johnson. We know London gets ten times the investment
:19:31. > :19:35.Yorkshire and the Humber does. And while crossrail two has already been
:19:36. > :19:40.earmarked for ?27 billion, the rail electrification into how has been
:19:41. > :19:45.scrapped by transport ministers. The A63 upgrade has been delayed. --
:19:46. > :19:51.into Harle. The Chamber of Commerce said it is concerned about the
:19:52. > :19:55.downgrading to trans-Pennine 's. We pay our taxes and higher train
:19:56. > :20:02.fares, so when do we actually get a fair deal for investment in
:20:03. > :20:09.transport? Mr Speaker, I thought the honourable lady was on typically
:20:10. > :20:17.churlish, because the Government has committed to regional growth. -- not
:20:18. > :20:22.typically churlish. Supporting growth and jobs across the country.
:20:23. > :20:27.That includes the 15 billion committed in the first investment
:20:28. > :20:31.strategy. She knows these are schemes across the country. South,
:20:32. > :20:38.east, west and north. But she is right. Let me find common ground.
:20:39. > :20:42.She is right that her part of the country deserves its place in the
:20:43. > :20:48.sun. Which is why we must rebalance our investment to reflect local
:20:49. > :20:54.needs just like hers. Mr Philip Davies. Bradford is one of the
:20:55. > :20:59.biggest cities in the country and in the last Parliament the Government
:21:00. > :21:01.was supportive Bradford being a stop on the Northern Powerhouse rail.
:21:02. > :21:08.Will they make sure the investment is provided to make sure Bradford is
:21:09. > :21:12.a stop on Northern Powerhouse rail? As he will know, ye has made this
:21:13. > :21:17.point before, and I know he is championing the interest people in
:21:18. > :21:21.this regard in Bradford, we are waiting for proposals for transport
:21:22. > :21:24.for the North. I have no doubt they are ones to which he will probably
:21:25. > :21:29.contribute. He will make his case to them. We will consider them. I fully
:21:30. > :21:36.understand the strength of his argument. Heidi Alexander. I do not
:21:37. > :21:38.dispute the need for investment in transport infrastructure across the
:21:39. > :21:43.country but the fact remains promised investment in London, for
:21:44. > :21:49.example extra carriages on south-eastern services, have not yet
:21:50. > :21:53.materialised. The rail minister on the 30th of March said it would be
:21:54. > :22:01.happening very soon will stop can we have an update? The rail minister
:22:02. > :22:09.has made it a priority. And when the Minister makes it a priority it gets
:22:10. > :22:13.done. Martin Vickers. Thank you, Mr Speaker. He spoke about places in
:22:14. > :22:24.the sun a minute ago. I am sure he thought Cleethorpes. One of the
:22:25. > :22:29.urgent priorities is to resurface the A180, removing the concrete
:22:30. > :22:33.surfaces. Does the Department have any plans to help with that project?
:22:34. > :22:37.Since he did not answer question three, maybe he could develop the
:22:38. > :22:45.role of apprentices in major schemes. I am always willing... I
:22:46. > :22:52.was pleased to visit his constituency and unveil the new road
:22:53. > :22:56.built there. Part of the strategy. He is right that there is a
:22:57. > :23:02.challenge associated with the road surface nearby. I did consider it at
:23:03. > :23:05.the time. The secretary of State has asked to look in greater detail. I
:23:06. > :23:10.can assure him making sure roads are fit for purpose as well as investing
:23:11. > :23:13.in new roads is at the heart of all we do. Very grateful to the right
:23:14. > :23:21.Honourable gentleman. Rachel Maskell. These -- the east coast
:23:22. > :23:22.main line between London and the North needs infrastructure
:23:23. > :23:29.investments to end the disruption caused by antique overhead power
:23:30. > :23:34.line failures. How much does he expect virgin East Coast contribute?
:23:35. > :23:39.The East Coast Mainline is the line I use regularly. I am very familiar
:23:40. > :23:45.with the quality of that service. She will know the new express trains
:23:46. > :23:49.we are using on that mainline by the end of 2018 will offer more
:23:50. > :23:55.capacity, reduced journey times and more reliable services. Rachel
:23:56. > :23:59.Maskell. Not only does he not answer the question but he does not know
:24:00. > :24:03.the amount of the operator has to contribute. But he is digging into
:24:04. > :24:07.the back pocket of taxpayers to bail out the stagecoach virgin consortium
:24:08. > :24:11.when two years ago the Government took East Coast out public after
:24:12. > :24:17.returning ?1 billion to the Treasury. Maybe the minister can
:24:18. > :24:22.tell us this... How much will be virgin East Coast contract. The
:24:23. > :24:27.taxpayer? Does he not draw the same conclusion as these benches, that as
:24:28. > :24:31.you pay for private and make savings from public rail, only a publicly
:24:32. > :24:38.owned rail can operate in the public interest? My goodness, Mr Speaker.
:24:39. > :24:47.It is like a journey to a past that never happened. I remember when one
:24:48. > :24:50.British rail's last and most poignant slogans was, we are getting
:24:51. > :24:59.there. Getting there is a fundamental requirement of any
:25:00. > :25:04.journey. Could there be a less ambitious objective than merely
:25:05. > :25:07.getting there? That is what nationalised railways were like. We
:25:08. > :25:12.all remember them. They were a disaster. And the cost of
:25:13. > :25:21.renationalising the railways in the way she recommends would be at least
:25:22. > :25:23.?19 billion. The ?19 billion the honourable gentleman from Bolsover
:25:24. > :25:28.would like to spend on all these other schemes. Neither Yates nor
:25:29. > :25:31.Samuel Taylor Coleridge featured in the answer provided by the
:25:32. > :25:38.honourable gentleman. Sir Nicholas Soames. I am also going to try to
:25:39. > :25:42.keep Coleridge at this answer if I may. Mid Sussex will benefit from
:25:43. > :25:46.the investment of over ?100 billion on local road maintenance and
:25:47. > :25:52.small-scale transport schemes in West Sussex and the council up to
:25:53. > :25:58.2021. The county banisters from access to ?304 million of funding in
:25:59. > :26:05.the same period. -- benefits. Secured from the partnership. Mr
:26:06. > :26:09.Speaker, Mid Sussex is very much looking forward to his visit in
:26:10. > :26:13.early September to see these very serious problems we have on the
:26:14. > :26:22.roads. Will my honourable friend agree that it is rotten government
:26:23. > :26:25.to go on in pushing housing into constituents like Mid Sussex without
:26:26. > :26:30.putting the investment in the infrastructure there in the first
:26:31. > :26:33.place? It is not a matter for the county council but Mid Sussex
:26:34. > :26:37.district Council, which cannot go on accepting this volume of
:26:38. > :26:37.house-building without a significant investment in these major
:26:38. > :26:51.bottlenecks on the road. My right honourable friend has made
:26:52. > :26:58.his point eloquently. The network we have now is specifically designed to
:26:59. > :27:01.be part of a wider strategy whose purpose is to provide the
:27:02. > :27:06.infrastructure that new housing developments require that should be
:27:07. > :27:09.part the solution for any of these schemes. This question has been
:27:10. > :27:18.narrowly confined to Mid Sussex, from which the right honourable's
:27:19. > :27:27.gentleman constituency is a way away. If he is going to focus on Mid
:27:28. > :27:32.Sussex, we will hear him. Will be Minister accept that the
:27:33. > :27:41.improvements to be road system to East Sussex... Mid Sussex would be
:27:42. > :27:48.considerably improved if they could divert money from the ever deepening
:27:49. > :27:53.bottomless pit of HS2 and therefore enable those projects to move
:27:54. > :27:57.forward much more quickly? Can I join the member for Bolsover for
:27:58. > :28:03.calling for a reassessment of this increasingly troubled scheme? Mr
:28:04. > :28:08.Speaker, it is a mark of your grace that you are able to allow the
:28:09. > :28:13.honourable gentleman to proceed with the question so evidently unrelated
:28:14. > :28:19.to the issue. So much so that he wasn't able to make it to the name
:28:20. > :28:25.of the constituency or area concerned. The answer to his
:28:26. > :28:34.question, if I may dignify it with an answer is that there will be
:28:35. > :28:40.plenty of investment. Generosity is my middle name. Minister Paul
:28:41. > :28:51.Maynard. I will take this with number 14. Passengers are frustrated
:28:52. > :28:57.about the lack of information they get when purchasing tickets. I have
:28:58. > :29:05.been working with the industry, regulators and consumer groups
:29:06. > :29:10.regarding fares and ticketing. We are getting on with delivering the
:29:11. > :29:17.many proposals contained were in. If rail franchises do not adopt a more
:29:18. > :29:19.transparent ticketing system, government should step in major
:29:20. > :29:31.passengers are offered the best value for money? The ticketing is
:29:32. > :29:43.essential to funding the day-to-day running of the railway. Passengers
:29:44. > :29:47.should be listened to. Southend has two train lines and multiple
:29:48. > :29:51.stations within the southern boundary. Wouldn't it be simpler if
:29:52. > :29:55.the same ticket could be used on both lines? It would be good for
:29:56. > :30:00.residents and visitors and will clear things up for visitors,
:30:01. > :30:13.allowing them to do journeys into Southend and pop in somewhere else
:30:14. > :30:20.on the way back to London. I agree that... The growth in smart
:30:21. > :30:26.ticketing, the various ticket medias enhance the possibility for
:30:27. > :30:32.passengers to have the flexibility he refers to. Welcome to make the
:30:33. > :30:39.vision a bigger reality with technological changes. The ticketing
:30:40. > :30:42.information passengers are most interested in is the price. Since
:30:43. > :30:47.2014 commuter rail the increases have been capped at RPI, but in an
:30:48. > :30:53.answer to me yesterday the rail minister said that fares policy is
:30:54. > :30:57.under review. Next month is not inflation figures will determine the
:30:58. > :31:04.capital of January 2018 and if the department reverts to the old
:31:05. > :31:09.formula, tickets could rise by up to 5%. But the secretary of state
:31:10. > :31:13.announces his plans next week, will he pledge that the improvements
:31:14. > :31:26.passengers need will come at a price they can afford? She is starting to
:31:27. > :31:32.prognosticate about what may or may not happen in the future. We will
:31:33. > :31:39.not be raising theirs in the way she has talked about. We are always
:31:40. > :31:46.putting passengers burst. She should not read more into things than is
:31:47. > :32:01.actually there. Thank you again, Mr Speaker. The eight... Network Rail
:32:02. > :32:07.are confident work will begin and finish as scheduled. We are in
:32:08. > :32:12.regular contact with Network Rail in regard to this work. The Northampton
:32:13. > :32:18.Road railway bridge is located next to the busiest road junction in
:32:19. > :32:32.Kettering town centre. It will cause major disruption to the town. Can
:32:33. > :32:39.the Minister tell us whether he is going to instate the half hourly
:32:40. > :32:52.trains that will go over the new franchise? I have heard his
:32:53. > :32:58.observations and views on the extra services from Kettering. We will be
:32:59. > :33:07.launching our consultation soon and we will be thinking about what we do
:33:08. > :33:16.next on that franchise. Thank you Mr Speaker. The low Carbon trial which
:33:17. > :33:20.run to 2016 provided over ?11 million to support industry led
:33:21. > :33:30.trials, alternative fuels, the majority of which use liquefied gas.
:33:31. > :33:39.I thank the Minister for that answer and the company based in my
:33:40. > :33:43.constituency produced the first refuelling station which limits the
:33:44. > :33:47.release of methane into the atmosphere with significant cost
:33:48. > :33:53.reductions at the process. This is seen as an alternative to diesel for
:33:54. > :34:00.large HGVs. The forward the Minister commit to meeting with me, the
:34:01. > :34:06.company and other partners in this project to discuss this matter
:34:07. > :34:18.further. The short answer is yes, but I don't want to give a short
:34:19. > :34:24.answer, so let me say this. In her constituency there is a Nissan plant
:34:25. > :34:31.which I have visited. My visits to her constituency have been too few.
:34:32. > :34:36.I will meet her and I will meet the company she describes to see what
:34:37. > :34:43.more we can do. It's obvious the honourable lady is in a state of
:34:44. > :34:47.overwhelming excitement. So will the people of her constituency when they
:34:48. > :34:50.realise that they will be privileged with a visit from the right
:34:51. > :35:03.honourable gentleman, particularly by those who know him. Karen Smith.
:35:04. > :35:08.Especially, if I say, Mr Speaker, if there is an unveiling to go with it.
:35:09. > :35:13.I salute the honourable member for the work she has done to raise the
:35:14. > :35:18.issue of toad trailer safety following the tragic death of
:35:19. > :35:25.Freddie Hussey. I look forward to meeting with her to discuss the
:35:26. > :35:33.matter further on the 19th of July. Devious they led a campaign about
:35:34. > :35:36.safety checks when towing trailers. There are plans to relaunch the
:35:37. > :35:40.campaign this summer. The government has consulted about the law relating
:35:41. > :35:44.to causing death by careless and dangerous driving and I look forward
:35:45. > :35:51.to discussing all these issues would I meet with her. I look forward to
:35:52. > :35:57.our meeting and I am grateful to the work of his predecessor, as are my
:35:58. > :36:04.constituents whose son was killed by a loose trailer. Will he offer his
:36:05. > :36:08.support to a new safety initiative which will see member organisations
:36:09. > :36:15.across the country offering free towing safety checks to members of
:36:16. > :36:20.the public? I am delighted the honourable lady has raised this
:36:21. > :36:25.important initiative in the house and that the national trailer towing
:36:26. > :36:30.has established a scheme so that people can go to one of the
:36:31. > :36:34.participating service centres and get a provisional report an
:36:35. > :36:43.inspection on the trailers. This will assist trailer owners to have
:36:44. > :36:46.any identified defects rectified. I welcome the initiative and I welcome
:36:47. > :37:02.the fact that they and other organisations are working closely
:37:03. > :37:04.with government. Question number 13. We are transforming rail travel for
:37:05. > :37:11.passengers across the North of England. We are progressing
:37:12. > :37:15.priorities for investment in new stations and upgraded
:37:16. > :37:19.infrastructure. I would like to impress upon the Minister the
:37:20. > :37:24.urgency in getting the mid Cheshire rail link and the airport Western
:37:25. > :37:29.Link. Populations are expanding, businesses are increasing, there
:37:30. > :37:35.were tens of thousands of new homes. They cannot be catered for on the
:37:36. > :37:39.local roads and HS2 will be an answer. But the Minister meet with
:37:40. > :37:46.me and the mid Cheshire railway users Association? Firstly, can I
:37:47. > :37:57.welcome her back to a place in this house. I'm all too of reopening the
:37:58. > :38:02.line to meadow which. I am happy to meet with her and local campaigners.
:38:03. > :38:11.All local transport authorities need to support projects and I'm sure
:38:12. > :38:19.that we can work together to make this a reality. There has been a
:38:20. > :38:22.great deal bid which includes rail improvements which the Chancellor
:38:23. > :38:30.indicated in his budget would get some support. The Minister indicate
:38:31. > :38:36.whether there has been any money put to the Department for Transport to
:38:37. > :38:49.increase and improve the links between crew-macro and North Wales.
:38:50. > :38:56.-- said two. We are looking out what passengers want in terms of
:38:57. > :39:00.increased capacity. We are looking forward to doing more work and it
:39:01. > :39:09.should benefit Cheshire and North Wales. ?1 is spent per person on the
:39:10. > :39:16.transport infrastructure in cash and the Northwest for every ?7 spent in
:39:17. > :39:22.London and the South is. Can we have our extra ?6 per person which will
:39:23. > :39:26.help growth and jobs in the Northwest. We are looking to make
:39:27. > :39:35.sure we balance our investment across the country. We have looked
:39:36. > :39:39.carefully at the relevant regional transport figures and what they do
:39:40. > :39:52.and don't tell us. We could have a lengthy answer that would displease
:39:53. > :40:03.the speaker -- Mr Speaker. Number 15. Minister of State. My department
:40:04. > :40:10.are in discussion with Nexus and Tyne Wear Metro regarding the
:40:11. > :40:15.proposals. The honourable gentleman is a dedicated member, but he
:40:16. > :40:21.represents a constituency in Sussex. Well done. Very well done. Minister
:40:22. > :40:29.Jessye Norman. We have got there, Mr Speaker. The ?15 billion road
:40:30. > :40:32.investment strategy published in 2014 and now is the scheme to
:40:33. > :40:38.improve the lancing to Worthing section of a 27. A public
:40:39. > :40:44.consultation will run from the 19th of July to the top of September 20
:40:45. > :40:47.17. For the 19th of July the highways England website for the
:40:48. > :40:55.scheme will have key information about the proposals with supporting
:40:56. > :41:00.information. I am sorry to see the Minister took the wrong turning. I
:41:01. > :41:04.am pleased to see we have a timetable since I posed this
:41:05. > :41:09.question. The Minister knows how vital upgrading the 827 is to the
:41:10. > :41:12.home of West Sussex, but there are concerns that the ?80 million
:41:13. > :41:19.dedicated to the Worthing lancing section will be inadequate in
:41:20. > :41:24.comparison to the ?250 million to bypass Aaron door that has only 5000
:41:25. > :41:28.people. If the consultation shows it is not satisfactory, will he
:41:29. > :41:37.consider looking at the more expensive option? We recognise that
:41:38. > :41:40.a 27 is an important corridor across the south coast and we will look
:41:41. > :41:48.very closely at any further proposals he wishes to make.
:41:49. > :41:55.Just because the king of Spain visit yesterday and the honourable
:41:56. > :41:58.gentleman felt it necessary to show off his language skills on that
:41:59. > :42:05.occasion, there is no need to do so again. We have all seen what
:42:06. > :42:08.unedifying spectacle it was. Having all three taken part in business
:42:09. > :42:14.questions you will not be totally surprised by that contribution, I am
:42:15. > :42:17.sure. Can I on a serious note paid tribute to the offices of the
:42:18. > :42:21.British Transport Police and the start of Northern Rail for the way
:42:22. > :42:26.in which they responded to the bomb attack in Manchester? The rail staff
:42:27. > :42:30.in particular, whose job description this is not in any way part of,
:42:31. > :42:34.responded heroically and they deserve our thanks. I thought you
:42:35. > :42:41.might have picked something up from the Queen of Spain yesterday. I
:42:42. > :42:45.wholly concur... Some Spanish. I concur with what the minister said
:42:46. > :42:50.about the staff in Manchester. When the season of fruitfulness is upon
:42:51. > :42:57.us, can I urge to the Rhondda tunnel, which would be a magnificent
:42:58. > :43:04.tunnel, open to the public for cyclists to go through and a great
:43:05. > :43:08.tourist attraction, if only his department were handed over to the
:43:09. > :43:14.local charity and it gave it ?250,000, as well. I know relations
:43:15. > :43:18.between the honourable gentleman and the Labour Party in south Wales
:43:19. > :43:21.sometimes can be slightly strained. But I'm sure he will use his
:43:22. > :43:24.influence on the Welsh government, to whom we have extended the offer
:43:25. > :43:28.to give the tunnel, and they have not responded. I am waiting for
:43:29. > :43:34.their response. Maybe he could encourage them to give us a
:43:35. > :43:36.response. Can I ask them to sit down with the west Yorkshire combined
:43:37. > :43:43.authority to make sure the Shipley Eastern bypass, badly needed in my
:43:44. > :43:45.constituency and by the local economy is delivered and neither can
:43:46. > :43:50.blame each other for lack of progress? I regularly meets the
:43:51. > :43:54.combined authority and will happily discuss that issue with them. The
:43:55. > :44:00.creation of the major roads network, the bypass fund, I hope means in
:44:01. > :44:03.future we can unlock schemes which will make a difference to towns like
:44:04. > :44:12.Shipley and others around the country. Andy McDonald. Two weeks
:44:13. > :44:17.ago today the High Court gave the Secretary of State 14 days to decide
:44:18. > :44:19.about Southern Rail claims that its appalling service was not their
:44:20. > :44:24.fault but all down to industrial action. With a record fine imposed
:44:25. > :44:30.today, this nonsense has been blown out of the water by months of the
:44:31. > :44:34.Secretary of State and his ministers coming to the dispatch box and
:44:35. > :44:39.blaming the unions. They has to come clean and accept Southern Rail is
:44:40. > :44:44.not fit for purpose. Does he not accept continuing to tolerate such
:44:45. > :44:47.ineptitude, expecting a rail service to rely on worker overtime and
:44:48. > :44:55.compromising safety simply will not wash any longer and he has to call
:44:56. > :45:02.time on GTR? He is clearly still not read the judgment of two weeks ago
:45:03. > :45:05.which we have actually won. For months I have said the problems of
:45:06. > :45:12.this railway are not purely down to industrial action. I am also very
:45:13. > :45:15.clear, and so was the report, that the prime responsibility for the
:45:16. > :45:19.trouble on the network in the last months have come from trade unions
:45:20. > :45:23.fighting the battles of 30 years ago and they still get support from the
:45:24. > :45:26.Labour Party. In reality the Labour Party and the unions are colluding
:45:27. > :45:33.to bring trouble to passengers and should stop. Can I say the second
:45:34. > :45:37.question must be shorter. And the right of the front bench to come in
:45:38. > :45:43.on topical questions is not sacrosanct. I have to cater to
:45:44. > :45:47.backbench members. If front bench members take too long I might
:45:48. > :45:53.reconsider the entitlement of front bench members to come in,
:45:54. > :45:59.trespassing on backbench time. Please, be brief. A sentence.
:46:00. > :46:03.Missing appendix nine from the report, can we see it and can the
:46:04. > :46:12.Minister tell us which claims the accents and those he rejects?
:46:13. > :46:16.Secretary of State. -- accents. It has been for partial normal
:46:17. > :46:22.performance of contracts and I have not yet sought to do anything
:46:23. > :46:25.otherwise. This afternoon we are expecting the result of a ballot for
:46:26. > :46:31.more strike action for a 23.8% pay rise and a deal already accepted by
:46:32. > :46:37.the union on the same routes for the same company. This is able to clean
:46:38. > :46:42.motivated set of threats of action and it should stop the Labour Party
:46:43. > :46:46.should stop supporting it. For the first time in 45 years there is a
:46:47. > :46:48.commercial rail service between Swanage and Wareham in my
:46:49. > :46:51.constituency thanks to the dedication and hard work of
:46:52. > :46:57.volunteers and members of the Swanage Railway. What assurance can
:46:58. > :47:01.he give he will support the rail heritage and ensure this trial
:47:02. > :47:05.becomes a permanent success? I am pleased to hear of what is happening
:47:06. > :47:09.on the Swanage Railway. I have met with rail heritage. Always pleased
:47:10. > :47:12.to hear reports of where heritage rail can work with mainline
:47:13. > :47:17.operators. It has to be done safely. I agree with that. Whether we look
:47:18. > :47:20.to build a more franchise agreements, whether we can bring
:47:21. > :47:27.that in hand schemes we can then support. Last June 's ambitious
:47:28. > :47:34.plans were published to expand the Tyne Wear Metro. Including
:47:35. > :47:38.expanding it to Washington in my constituency. Will the Minister
:47:39. > :47:42.assure me and my constituency they will act to upgrade this now
:47:43. > :47:48.crumbling 37-year-old network and make sure the proposed extension
:47:49. > :47:51.such as to Washington goes ahead? The honourable lady will know the
:47:52. > :47:56.Government invested a great deal in the mess/ as it rightfully shirt.
:47:57. > :48:03.Part of that is about improving stations, ticketing and rolling
:48:04. > :48:08.stock. -- Metro, as it should. I understand her concern about the
:48:09. > :48:11.extension of the Metro. When I come to her constituency, maybe she can
:48:12. > :48:17.articulate that among the other things we should doubtless discuss.
:48:18. > :48:20.Clearing traffic and air pollution are the public health concerns for
:48:21. > :48:24.those living and working in my constituency. Under this government
:48:25. > :48:30.is the local economy continues growing and thriving. But it does
:48:31. > :48:34.affect the maritime industry may be most likely in Hamble Lane were
:48:35. > :48:40.queueing on that plane is a real problem. Can he outline the
:48:41. > :48:46.commitment to fund bypasses in my constituency to tackle air
:48:47. > :48:50.pollution? I think it was Hegel that said nothing worthwhile was a treat
:48:51. > :48:54.with that passion. She is a passionate advocate of this scheme.
:48:55. > :48:59.I know it is important to her constituency and it is important for
:49:00. > :49:04.the port which she was also a champion. We will look at it closely
:49:05. > :49:11.because we know is vital to make our maritime future as glorious as our
:49:12. > :49:16.maritime past. Mary Glindon. Can the Minister say whether the new rolling
:49:17. > :49:19.stock for mercy travel, HS2 and crossrail will be with private or
:49:20. > :49:26.public finance and why this is the case? There has been a long
:49:27. > :49:30.tradition in this country under the governance of both sides of a
:49:31. > :49:35.railway where we lease trains from the private sector. They have
:49:36. > :49:40.equally been occasions as to the procurement of railway carriages for
:49:41. > :49:42.the East Coast Main line and the great Western mainline whether
:49:43. > :49:47.government has stepped in and taken the decision itself. We will look at
:49:48. > :49:50.what is available for those schemes. For mercy travel, she will have to
:49:51. > :49:58.talk to the Labour-controlled Mersey Council. -- Murcia travel. We are
:49:59. > :50:04.obliged to him for dropping in on us. With Southend airport booming
:50:05. > :50:08.there are opportunities for associated businesses around the
:50:09. > :50:14.expanding airport. Will the Secretary of State agreed to look at
:50:15. > :50:20.how we can use expanding business around successful regional airports?
:50:21. > :50:25.Making sure regional airports are successful is really important. We
:50:26. > :50:30.both visited Southend some years ago. I'm impressed by what the
:50:31. > :50:34.airport achieved and how it can drive growth in the area. That
:50:35. > :50:37.applies across the whole country. That is one of the reasons why
:50:38. > :50:42.expansion of Heathrow and regional airports is so important. That is
:50:43. > :50:47.why I hope together to make sure that Southend flourishes, as well.
:50:48. > :50:51.Hardly any flowery words from the Government benches about
:50:52. > :50:55.understanding the experience in the north-east, forced to use crumbling
:50:56. > :50:59.rolling stock on Tyne Wear Metro. Flowery words will not get them to
:51:00. > :51:05.work on time unless they are matched by investment. Will he now committed
:51:06. > :51:10.to investing from the public purse in our rolling stock? The honourable
:51:11. > :51:16.lady should know that investment is of course central to what we want to
:51:17. > :51:21.achieve. We are investing 317 million through a renewal programme.
:51:22. > :51:26.We are undertaking a major programme of structure renewal, refurbishing
:51:27. > :51:30.most of the vehicles, modernising 45 stations, introducing smart
:51:31. > :51:40.ticketing. What is not to like about that? We come now to Vicky Ford.
:51:41. > :51:45.Chelmsford is one of the busiest commuter stations in the country.
:51:46. > :51:50.But Chelmsford commuters had experienced frequent and significant
:51:51. > :51:56.delays. Can the Minister provide an update on what actions are being
:51:57. > :52:02.taken to counter the delays? I'm sorry to hear of the delays
:52:03. > :52:06.experienced by her constituents the very hot weather does impact
:52:07. > :52:09.reliability. Speed restrictions to protect overhead equipment. I have
:52:10. > :52:12.met with the industry this week to discuss what lessons can be learned
:52:13. > :52:18.about repeated periods of hot weather and how we can best protect
:52:19. > :52:23.infrastructure. I hope the decisions they move on to take improve
:52:24. > :52:28.reliability. When the Chancellor came to Bristol in May, he refused
:52:29. > :52:32.to confirm whether electrification of the great Western line into the
:52:33. > :52:37.city centre would go ahead. Transport Secretary confirm, has it
:52:38. > :52:43.been deferred as we were told last year -- has it been ditched? I said
:52:44. > :52:49.earlier we are focused on delivering the service improvement right now.
:52:50. > :52:54.--? Has it been ditched? There is no secret this project did not go as
:52:55. > :52:58.well as expected. From this autumn there will be brand-new trains, more
:52:59. > :53:01.capacity, better service, six trains one out from Bristol into London.
:53:02. > :53:07.This is really good news for her constituency. Another of my
:53:08. > :53:11.constituents are very concerned about the high-speed two and the
:53:12. > :53:16.impact upon them. Especially residents in Aisling who saw me in a
:53:17. > :53:19.surgery last week. I will not go through every point they raised with
:53:20. > :53:26.me then but I wonder if the Minister could meet with me to go through
:53:27. > :53:31.every concern they have. We need to discuss that, I will be more than
:53:32. > :53:34.happy to discuss that and the HS2 issues about the movement through
:53:35. > :53:40.her constituency. More than happy to agree to that. When the Conservative
:53:41. > :53:44.manifesto was published there was no mention of crossrail two. Can the
:53:45. > :53:47.Minister tell us if it was by accident or design? When does he
:53:48. > :53:54.plan to make a decision on the business case? Firstly I absolutely
:53:55. > :53:58.support the need for the capacity improvements crossrail two will
:53:59. > :54:02.bring to London and outside. Where are working our way through the
:54:03. > :54:05.business case. I do not think it is any secret that the funding package
:54:06. > :54:10.has not quite lived up to initial promise. But I want this to work. We
:54:11. > :54:17.will do everything we can to make it work. Would my honourable friend
:54:18. > :54:23.agree that in my constituency, part of a world Heritage site, is a great
:54:24. > :54:28.place to live, apart from the traffic? And we look at a bypass and
:54:29. > :54:34.a new cycle way to go right up the valley cycle route? Of course we
:54:35. > :54:37.cannot only look at it but we will be delighted to receive an
:54:38. > :54:40.application from bypass and I look forward to cycling that section of
:54:41. > :54:45.the Derwent Valley when I come and visit on future occasions. The
:54:46. > :54:48.Transport Secretary will outline his plans for rail investment in the
:54:49. > :54:52.coming days. There is real concern the promised electrification of the
:54:53. > :54:56.Midland Mainline, the best business case, will be delayed again, or
:54:57. > :55:01.completely dropped. Keeping promises are important. Will the Minister
:55:02. > :55:06.Keith Vaz? The promise I will be keeping is the service people want.
:55:07. > :55:11.-- Will the Minister keep their promises? The capacity improvements
:55:12. > :55:20.which are needed to make this route fit for purpose is one which will be
:55:21. > :55:23.done and one for the next century. Will he congratulate the taxi firm
:55:24. > :55:28.in Saint Austell who have recently replaced all 14 vehicles with
:55:29. > :55:32.electric vehicles and are being hailed as the greenest taxi company
:55:33. > :55:37.in the country? Does he agree more companies should follow their
:55:38. > :55:43.example? Indeed, I was able to visit the new factory in Coventry building
:55:44. > :55:47.electric London cabs. The future is certainly for low emission vehicles.
:55:48. > :55:52.That apply to vehicles we might own and also hybrid vehicles and taxis
:55:53. > :56:01.and I support what he has suggested. Order. Business questions. Valerie
:56:02. > :56:06.Vaz. Can the leader of the House gave us the forthcoming business?
:56:07. > :56:14.The leader of the House. Andrea Leadsom. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The
:56:15. > :56:18.business for next week will be Monday the 17th of July, motion to
:56:19. > :56:22.approve the statutory instrument relating to international immunity
:56:23. > :56:25.and privilege, followed by a general debate on the abuse and intimidation
:56:26. > :56:40.of candidates and the public in the general election campaign.
:56:41. > :56:45.Thursday the 20th of July a motion relating to the appointment of the
:56:46. > :56:48.new Parliamentary Commissioner for standards followed by a general
:56:49. > :56:49.debate on matters to be