Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Grayling and Gavin Newlands

Thursday 14th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling)]

My Department is undertaking a comprehensive and wide-ranging programme of work to ensure that we are prepared for a scenario in which the UK leaves without a deal. We continue to work to ensure that the UK does not leave without a deal.

[Gavin Newlands]

I am grateful for that answer, which I am not sure even those on the Government Benches will buy. The Secretary of State told the House on Monday that Arklow had confirmed its backing for Seaborne Freight “from the outset”. Yesterday the permanent secretary to the DFT told the Public Accounts Committee that the DFT had awarded Seaborne Freight the contract before Arklow confirmed its backing. Those two statements are entirely contradictory, so who is telling the truth—his permanent secretary or him?

[Chris Grayling]

It is very simple: the contract was conditional on Seaborne Freight producing a reference from Arklow, which it did.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Grayling and Gavin Newlands

Thursday 5th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

Let me be clear: all Members of the House would like to see a long-term solution to the issues on the island of Cyprus. This country will continue to work with our friends in Cyprus to try to achieve that goal, but our policies on flights have not changed.

[Gavin Newlands (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (SNP)]

T5. The east coast franchise is now run with the part publicly-owned London North Eastern Railway, and it is a major transport operation in Scotland. Despite that, the UK Government have not allowed any Scottish Government representation on the board. Will the Secretary of State rethink that, and commit to ensuring that the Scottish Government are represented on that vital piece of infrastructure?