Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Heidi Alexander and David Mundell

Thursday 29th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I am very sorry to hear about the problems that my hon. Friend’s constituents are experiencing at Bishop’s Stortford station. I am aware of those problems and know that they were further impacted by the extreme temperatures this summer. A full lift replacement is planned for 2028, but I realise that that will sound like a long way off to his constituents. In the short term, I will ask my officials to meet Greater Anglia to explore how we can alleviate disruption for residents, and I would be happy to keep him updated on that.

[David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) (Con)]

May I just put it on the record that the Tour de France will be passing through my constituency twice?

Will the Secretary of State investigate the position on Kirkconnel station in my constituency, on the Nith valley line? Kirkconnel is a former mining community with an older population, and many people are unable to use the station because of infirmity or poor mobility.

[Heidi Alexander]

As the right hon. Gentleman will know, matters relating to the railways are devolved, but I will look into the accessibility issues at the station he refers to and progress any necessary conversations with colleagues in the Scottish Government.

Disruption at Heathrow

Debate between Heidi Alexander and David Mundell

Monday 24th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

I recognise that Heathrow provides really important connectivity for our regional airports, and therefore for my hon. Friend’s constituents. I can assure her that I will keep the House updated, once both the internal review commissioned by Heathrow comes back and the report by NESO has been published.

[David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) (Con)]

Obviously, this event was on a catastrophic scale, but there is regular disruption at Heathrow. One of the consequences of that is the wholesale cancellation of flights between Heathrow and Scotland, which I have raised previously in this Chamber. When Ruth Kelly does her report on Heathrow’s resilience, will she look at its wider resilience and its ability to cope with weather-related or other technical issues, so that they do not lead to the wholesale cancellation of flights between Scotland and London?

[Heidi Alexander]

I am not writing the terms of reference for the Kelly review, because it has been commissioned by Heathrow airport itself, and I hesitate to stand at the Dispatch Box and try to amend the terms of a private company’s review. The aviation Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane), tells me that the right hon. Gentleman has written to him about this issue, and he is due to come back to him on it. The matter is also being considered by the aviation futures forum.