Economic Growth

Chris Curtis Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Emma Reynolds]

As the Chancellor set out this morning, we are determined to speed up infrastructure provision. Frankly, compared to other countries, we are just too slow at building high-speed rail and other types of rail. We are determined to press ahead and ensure that we speed up infrastructure provision, so that we can develop other areas. I also have an interest in the Cambridge-Oxford growth corridor, because my constituency is not very far away.

[Chris Curtis (Milton Keynes North) (Lab)]

We are now on the fourth round of consultation on East West Rail, the latter rounds of consultation consulting on the outcomes of the earlier rounds of consultation. At the same time, we are in the middle of building the most expensive nuclear power station in the history of the human race because of the four rounds of consultation required for Sizewell C. When we tried to build the lower Thames crossing, the total consultation for the development consent order process was 359,000 pages. That is 250 times the length of “War and Peace”. It is right to go to war on these consultations, but can the Minister tell us how she will stop at nothing to ensure that we get infrastructure projects built more efficiently, so that we can save taxpayers far more money and drive economic growth?

[Emma Reynolds]

I share my hon. Friend’s impatience. I want to get things done, and so does the Chancellor. The Attorney General will provide guidance to Ministers, so that we can make quicker decisions. She will advise on where we need consultation and where we do not. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to be impatient for change; I am too.