Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charlie Dewhirst and Heidi Alexander

Thursday 20th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)]

13. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of support for motorists.

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Heidi Alexander)]

This Government are on the side of drivers and are focused on making journeys safer and smoother, and saving motorists money. Over the past year alone, we have invested an extra £500 million in road maintenance, given the green light to over 30 road schemes and committed £650 million to cut the purchase cost of electric vehicles.

[Charlie Dewhirst]

Does the Secretary of State agree that the introduction of a pay-per-mile charge for motorists in next week’s Budget would disproportionately impact rural constituencies such as mine, because people are more reliant on cars to get about, and represent yet another slap in the face from this Government for the countryside and for motorists?

[Heidi Alexander]

There are no proposals to introduce a national pay-per-mile scheme. This Government are firmly on the side of drivers. As I have set out, we are pumping £24 billion of capital into motorways and local roads, with a record £1.6 billion for local roads maintenance this year, which is £500 million more than last year, and we are further repairing rundown bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels.

Heathrow: National Airports Review

Debate between Charlie Dewhirst and Heidi Alexander

Wednesday 22nd October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

My hon. Friend is right; I know that East Midlands airport plays a particularly important role in air freight, second only to Heathrow. That is something we do not talk about enough, given its importance to the economy, so I welcome the comments he has made.

[Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)]

I am and always will be a proud Yorkshireman, but I lived in west London for a number of years, so I am aware of the diverse range of views on Heathrow expansion. I certainly do not subscribe to the luddite nimbyism of the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Chiswick (Andy Slaughter), but may I ask the Secretary of State what consideration she has given to potential Chinese investment into this critical national infrastructure?

[Heidi Alexander]

It will be for the promoters of any future scheme to secure financing for the development. I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that national security always comes first and foremost for this Government, but we are keen to secure international investment so that we can boost UK competitiveness and improve global connectivity. That is central to everything we are trying to do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Charlie Dewhirst and Heidi Alexander

Thursday 13th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Charlie Dewhirst (Bridlington and The Wolds) (Con)]

T4.   Open access operators such as Hull Trains offer excellent, cheap, unsubsidised inter-city services to locations across the north, so why are Ministers trying to block their expansion and stifle growth?

[Heidi Alexander]

There is a balance to be struck here. I welcome services such as those that run to Hull; they open up new routes and new connectivity. I have, however, asked the Office of Rail and Road to consider the balance in the revenue that they abstract from public operators, and to ensure that we are using constrained capacity in our network appropriately to deliver excellent services for passengers.