Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Gummer Excerpts
Thursday 25th April 2013

(11 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I will take that as one of many bids we will receive. I am very keen to invest in infrastructure for the long term, and various local authorities are putting forward a number of schemes. They will all be assessed and judged, and decisions will be made in the light of the resources available.

Ben Gummer Portrait Ben Gummer (Ipswich) (Con)
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T4. The Minister and the Secretary of State will know that the world’s largest financial centre is connected by the great eastern main line to some of the leading centres of research and development in the country, yet commuters and travellers can expect to use rolling stock that was unsuitable for travellers on the west coast main line 10 years ago. The Government have invested heavily in infrastructure. When will they be able to invest in rolling stock, too?

Simon Burns Portrait The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Mr Simon Burns)
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As my hon. Friend says, there is considerable interest in upgrading the rolling stock in East Anglia, and of course I have a particular interest too. My ministerial colleagues—I stress that—are currently considering what might be included in the specification for the interim franchise that will run to 2016, and our priority is, as always, improving passenger satisfaction as well as obtaining value for money for the taxpayer.