Oral Answers to Questions

David Mackintosh Excerpts

Tuesday 17th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We do need to speed up, so short, sharp questions and comparably pithy replies are the order of the day.

[David Mackintosh (Northampton South) (Con)]

6. What steps he is taking to develop the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr David Gauke)]

At the autumn statement, the Government backed recommendations made by the National Infrastructure Commission to invest £140 million in the Cambridge/Milton Keynes/Oxford corridor. That includes development funding for the expressway road scheme and £100 million to accelerate construction of the east-west rail line. The Government support the commission’s ongoing work, looking at a range of delivery models for housing and transport in the corridor.

[David Mackintosh]

How does my right hon. Friend envisage that benefiting the economy in Northamptonshire?

[Mr Gauke]

It is worth pointing out that in the terms of reference for the National Infrastructure Commission’s report the Government noted that the area contained four of the UK’s fastest growing and most productive places—Oxford, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Northampton. We agree with the commission that transport investment is key to maximising growth potential in the area. We will invest in the east-west rail line and the expressway, which will better connect parts of the region with one another and with the rest of the country, supporting growth and jobs. The commission will issue its final report later this year, including work on delivery options for housing and transport, and we will carefully consider those recommendations.