Oral Answers to Questions

David Evennett Excerpts
Thursday 22nd July 2010

(14 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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I am grateful for the hon. Lady’s support for the review and the work that Sir Roy McNulty is doing, and I am glad that she recognises the urgency of ensuring that our railway is affordable and sustainable, so that it can attract the investment that it needs. I agree with her that we need a sustainable railway with growing passenger numbers and growing freight usage.

David Evennett Portrait Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)
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Would my right hon. Friend agree that we want a sector that not only is financially sound, but delivers a better quality of service for passengers?

Lord Hammond of Runnymede Portrait Mr Hammond
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My hon. Friend is, once again, absolutely right. The objective must be to have a railway that is responsive to the needs of its customers, generating viability by responding to those needs—in fact, a railway that does what businesses throughout the economy do if they are to be successful and sustainable.