Oral Answers to Questions

Alun Michael Excerpts
Thursday 10th November 2011

(13 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mike Penning Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mike Penning)
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I hope those people will drive not only at an appropriate pace but at a safe pace within the law. As my hon. Friend knows, we started the project early and promised that we would be as fast as we possibly could. We hope that it will be done in early 2014, but if it can be done earlier, we certainly will do it.

Alun Michael Portrait Alun Michael (Cardiff South and Penarth) (Lab/Co-op)
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T5. Given the threat of ever higher train prices and the success of mutual solutions—for example, Glas Cymru—in reducing the burden on consumers, will the Secretary of State accept the Co-operative party’s People Rail proposals and put passengers in the driving seat?

Theresa Villiers Portrait Mrs Villiers
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I am obviously always interested in ideas for improving our railways. The Government recognise the benefits of co-operative arrangements and mutualisation, and I am happy to meet the Co-operative party to discuss what it would like to do with the railways, and to see whether we can involve it in the reforms that we are taking forward.