High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill

Debate between Lord Field of Birkenhead and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 28th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I believe there is a good cost-benefit ratio. We estimate the cost-benefit ratio to be 2.4 and it is worth pointing out—I will come on to this in my speech—that the initial cost-benefit ratio for the Jubilee line was less than 1% and if that had not been built I do not think we would have seen the subsequent development in Canary Wharf. However, I do not want to be tempted too much away from the very detailed contextual part of my speech, which I have worked out.

[Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)]

Following on from that point, given that the Government have failed to meet their targets in reducing the structural deficit, more than 60% of the cuts wait for the next Parliament, and therefore there will be a real shortage of capital does the Secretary of State really think that even if this line is built to Birmingham, it will go beyond? Secondly, given the scarcity of capital, would not the north gain more from a major link between Liverpool and Hull, rather than worrying about coming into London?

[Mr McLoughlin]

There is a slight problem in giving way even to colleagues and Opposition Members whom I respect greatly, because they keep asking me about further parts of my speech. If I can make a little more progress, I will be coming on to that point, but I will just point out to the right hon. Gentleman that, as he well knows, at the moment there is a huge amount of investment going into places like the northern hub, which will have very significant benefits for Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and Hull in getting better east-west connections across the country and not just between the north and south parts of the country.

High Speed Rail

Debate between Lord Field of Birkenhead and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 28th January 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

My hon. Friend is right. We cannot look at these things singly, but must consider how they impact not only on Heathrow airport but on other airports and availability to constituents who wish to use those services.

[Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)]

I direct the Secretary of State back to the question about construction beginning in the north. Given that London is all-powerful and will see this project completed, if it is in London’s interest, will he take a new stance on the hybrid Bill? If the leaders in Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds could fit in with his timetable, might we have a hybrid Bill please?

[Mr McLoughlin]

Of course I will consider the representations, but it is not so much a question of those leaders of cities in the north fitting in with the timetable, but of the other areas we have to address in the proposals. We are out to consultation, and the right hon. Gentleman will have heard that some people are not too happy with the route proposed and would like changes and adjustments to be made. That takes time, and once we have settled on the route—as I said, we are out to consultation, which means I have not settled on one—we will have to carry out environmental assessments and the like, which I am afraid take considerable time. I am keen to get on with this as quickly as possible, but I am constrained by what we need to do.

West Coast Main Line

Debate between Lord Field of Birkenhead and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 29th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am interested in the representation my hon. Friend has made, but perhaps we could leave it at that.

[Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)]

Why does the Secretary of State think that he will ever be best placed to decide competition between these companies? Does he not realise that we, the consumers and travellers, would like to decide competition between the companies ourselves? When will he realise that we are in a better position to decide which trains we would like to travel on, that those who are bidding for the contracts have huge skills in fixing them and that no amount of skill from the Secretary of State can overcome them fixing the market in the way they have succeeded in doing up to now?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am not sure that I completely agree with the right hon. Gentleman, but I might want to reflect a little on what his question is in the longer term. The Government, on behalf of the taxpayer, have invested a huge amount of money in the west coast main line—some £9 billion—so it is right that the people who are served by the line get a good service, and we are trying to find how best to achieve that.