Rail Manufacturing: Job Losses
Debate between Lord Sikka and Lord Davies of Gower(7 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
I cannot comment on the construction side, but Alstom is part a contract with Hitachi to design, build and maintain the HS2 trains for phase 1 only—that is 54 trains. Phase 1 of HS2, between Birmingham and London, will continue, with, as I have said before, a rescoped Euston station. HS2 Ltd has written to the joint venture confirming that the original order for those 54 trains for phase 1 remains unchanged.
Lord Sikka (Lab)
My Lords, the managing director of Alstom has said:
“We have worked constructively with the Government on securing a sustainable future for Derby Litchurch Lane, but after 10 months of discussions we have run out of time, and the production lines have stopped”.
Can the Minister explain what exactly were the stumbling points in those 10 months and what efforts the Government have made to overcome them?
Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
Yes, I can. The Transport Secretary had a constructive meeting yesterday with Alstom’s chairman and chief executive officer and its UK and Ireland director. We are now in a period of intense discussion with the company on potential options to secure a sustainable future for Alstom’s Litchurch Lane factory. While it would not be appropriate for me to go into the details of those discussions at this stage, I know that the Transport Secretary plans to update both Houses at the appropriate time.
East Coast Main Line
Debate between Lord Sikka and Lord Davies of Gower(10 months ago)
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Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
I take the noble Lord’s point, but the Government do put passengers first. The Government are concerned with passengers getting value for money, and we take this very seriously.
Lord Sikka (Lab)
My Lords, in the last 10 years, £75.2 billion of subsidy has been handed to rail companies. In return, the public do not own a single engine, carriage or seat, and it is impossible to even get the machines at rail stations to tell you what a good route or fare is. How many more billions need to be handed to rail companies before we can get an affordable and reliable train service?
Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
The Government have put an awful lot of money into the railways. It is about time perhaps that some of the railways delivered back for the good of the people—the taxpayer, who has put an enormous amount of money into the railways.
Rail Ticket Offices
Debate between Lord Sikka and Lord Davies of Gower(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Lord Sikka (Lab)
My Lords, the Minister said that people can buy tickets online. That presupposes that people have a good mobile phone or a computer and a broadband line. Can the Minister tell the House how many individuals and households do not have a good phone, access to a computer or a broadband link? What help will the Government be offering to those who do not have these things?
Social Security Payments: Uprating
Debate between Lord Sikka and Lord Davies of Gower
Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
I am afraid I did not quite get all of the question, but perhaps I could come back to the noble Lord later with an answer on that point.
Lord Sikka (Lab)
My Lords, first, I ask the Minister to revisit the CPI versus RPI debate. Housing costs, rent, mortgages, repairs and maintenance matter. People experience those costs. Will he consider increasing benefits in line with RPI rather than CPI? Secondly, will he make a Statement to the House to explain what savings the Government have made by linking benefits to CPI rather than RPI?
Lord Davies of Gower (Con)
The noble Lord will know that the Government are currently considering that very point. I am sure that we will have an answer for him in due course.