Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Iain Stewart Excerpts
Thursday 24th November 2022

(2 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I welcome the new Chair of the Select Committee on Transport, Iain Stewart.

Iain Stewart Portrait Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) (Con)
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Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement last week that capital transport investment will be a central pillar of the Government’s growth agenda. May I ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State when he will be able to set out a little more detail on which projects he will be prioritising, and make a bid for the next stages of East West Rail to be among the early ones?

Mark Harper Portrait Mr Harper
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First, I am very pleased to welcome my hon. Friend to his place as Chair of the Transport Committee. I look forward to working with him and with all members of the Select Committee, whichever party they come from, to focus on these important transport issues.

Over the coming weeks my colleagues and I will be looking at our priorities across the whole portfolio of capital projects, and we will set those out in the House in due course. I have noted his bid; he will know that the Chancellor committed to East West Rail in the autumn statement, and I hope that gives him some comfort.