Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Grayling and Ronnie Cowan

Thursday 5th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

As the hon. Lady will be aware, this is not really a transport matter. Our ports will be ready, and our plans for how we manage our borders will be ready for all eventualities, but I want, I believe and I expect that we will have a sensible agreement with the European Union that avoids the charging of tariffs. That is certainly what the EU wants, and it is what we want.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

My Inverclyde constituency has a thriving port at Greenock, with cruise ships and container ships docking on a daily basis. Can the Secretary of State assure me that the systems, including IT systems, that will be required post Brexit are well on their way to completion so that ports such as Greenock will not be adversely affected by the UK leaving the European Union?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Grayling and Ronnie Cowan

Thursday 24th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

When the east coast railway franchise is once again open to bids, will the bidding process include a prosperity weighting clause, in keeping with proposals for some defence contracts?

[Chris Grayling]

When we form the London North Eastern Railway in its final form, as I have said, it will not be a conventional franchise bidding process. It will move to a completely new approach, as I set out in my statement earlier this month, and we will bring more details to the House about the shape of that in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Grayling and Ronnie Cowan

Thursday 18th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

T5. In my constituency we have the Greenock ocean terminal, from which goods are imported and exported around the world. What assurances can the Minister give me that Brexit will not adversely affect the transportation of goods by sea from my Inverclyde constituency?

[Chris Grayling]

I absolutely understand the importance for the future of our maritime sector—of shipping goods by sea. Indeed, I recently had the pleasure of visiting Montrose port to see the important work that it does for the east of Scotland. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the maritime sector, while often not the highest-profile sector in these questions, is enormously important to this country.