Transport

Wednesday 22nd June 2022 Ministerial Corrections

Industrial Action on the Railway

The following is an extract from the statement on 20 June 2022.

[Olivia Blake]

To declare an interest, my father-in-law is a train driver and a member of the RMT. I am saddened that from the Government Benches we are not hearing the same loving rhetoric towards our railway staff that we did during the pandemic. The Secretary of State called our railway workers heroes. What has changed, and why will he not get around the negotiating table and see what he can do?

[Grant Shapps]

I wish the hon. Lady’s relation well in his job, and I hope he can get back to it very soon. I have just explained that this Government are putting £96 billion into northern powerhouse rail, £35 billion into upgrades and more money into the restoring your railway fund.

[Official Report, 20 June 2022, Vol. 716, c. 577.]

Letter of correction from the Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps).

An error has been identified in my response to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Olivia Blake).

The correct response should have been:

[Grant Shapps]

I wish the hon. Lady’s relation well in his job, and I hope he can get back to it very soon. I have just explained that this Government are investing £96 billion for the integrated rail plan for the north and midlands, including northern powerhouse rail, and more money into the restoring your railway fund.