Railways: Capacity

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts

Thursday 12th October 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Blunkett (Lab)]

My Lords—

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Liberal Democrats. If we have a short question I hope we will be able to hear from the Labour Benches as well.

[Lord Bradshaw]

Today’s announcement about railway investment does not extend to the larger investment schemes, which may account for the four blank pages referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Berkeley—schemes such as that at Reading and the one on Crossrail. There are very long-lasting benefits from such schemes and that is not reflected properly in the current appraisal programmes. Will the Minister meet me and other interested Peers to discuss the appraisal of schemes where most of the benefits flow outside the public purse and we are left having spent the money but not reaping the benefits?

Transport: North East of England

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts

Thursday 20th July 2017 Lords Chamber

[Noble Lords]

This side!

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Labour Benches.

[Lord Anderson of Swansea]

My Lords, we in south-west Wales are not concerned about the confirmation of new lines but about the apparent abandonment of a major electrification project from Cardiff to Swansea. There has been a series of body blows to Swansea of late, including the long delays in the lagoon. Can the Government confirm that they have not written off south-west Wales? Do they believe that life ends at Cardiff?

Aviation: Large Electronic Device Ban

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts

Tuesday 28th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Marlesford (Con)]

My Lords—

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Cross Benches.

[Lord Dykes]

Does not the Minister realise that the implication of all the previous questions—including the Question asked by the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson—is that this policy will not work unless it becomes universal, because the public internationally have to be reassured that flying is going to be safe in future? These devices are getting more and more sophisticated and a universal ban will be necessary in the end, so that people can resume using their smartphones and tablets when they land but not while planes are in the air.

HS2: North of England and Scotland

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts

Thursday 23rd February 2017 Lords Chamber

[Noble Lords]

Order!

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, this is not the kind of behaviour we want to see during Question Time. We will go to the Labour Front Bench.

[Lord Rosser]

My Lords, can I ask when the final route plans for HS3 will be published, and when the hybrid Bill for the next stages of HS2 to Crewe, Manchester and Leeds will be published? I hope that the Minister will be able to answer that question, but of course if he cannot he could always say “shortly”.

Southern Rail

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Excerpts

Tuesday 10th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Earl Attlee (Con)]

My Lords, did I hear the Minister correctly?

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Conservative Benches.