Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 30th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I apologise to the hon. Gentleman for the slight delay in my response. I very much hope that his constituents will enjoy some of the improvements happening in the franchises serving his area. I referred to Merseyrail, but of course there are other train operating companies providing services into his constituency and I think there will be considerable uplift on both Northern and TransPennine Express links, which will benefit his constituents.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick McLoughlin)]

Right—I was prepared for this, Mr Speaker.

I am proud of the fact that capital expenditure on infrastructure will increase by 50% in this Parliament. We have set up the first ever roads investment strategy, on which I answered questions earlier this morning, but throughout my time at the Department for Transport I have attached great importance to safety, so I am pleased that the latest statistics for road casualties in Great Britain, published at 9.30 this morning, show a decrease of 2% in road fatalities, a decrease of 3% in serious injuries, and a decrease of 4% in slight injuries. The number of deaths is too high, but the reduction is very welcome indeed.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Please can the Secretary of State confirm four dates for me? When will Huddersfield get its direct London service? When will the Pacers go? When will HS2 link to Yorkshire? And when will the electrification of the trans-Pennine route begin?

[Mr McLoughlin]

Off the top of my head, I think the answers are May 2019; December 2019; 2033; and I am happy to say that preliminary work has started, although final decisions on the scope will have to wait until 2018. I wish I had all the figures in my head, as you often do, Mr Speaker.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 29th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, my hon. Friend heard evidence a few weeks ago from the chief executive of Network Rail. His point about looking at all the lines as a total is important, and I will bear his comments in mind.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I very much welcome the news that the electrification of the trans-Pennine route is now fully back on track. Will the Secretary of State say what new improved benefits the new scheme will bring to commuters in west Yorkshire?

[Mr McLoughlin]

We are looking at substantial improvements in linking up the main cities in the north—between Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle. What we are planning will bring more seats and capacity. It is absolutely essential that that is got on with.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 16th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

My hon. Friend is right to point out our ambitious programme for the rail industry in this country. Many people have commented that there has never been as much investment in the rail industry as set out by the Government over control period 5. That said, the taxpayer, as well as the travelling public, would want us to get best value for money from our investment, and we will want to consider the points he makes when it comes to CP6.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

The trans-Pennine rail route goes through Slaithwaite and Marsden in my constituency. Will the Secretary of State confirm when he expects Sir Peter Hendy to report back about the pause on electrification, and will he take this opportunity to debunk the myth going around that the Pacers will be replaced by refurbished tube trains, which obviously is not true?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I can certainly debunk that. It was made clear that once we got rid of the Pacers, they would be replaced by new trains, and that is what is in the invitation to tender, which is being looked at as far as the returns back to the Department for Transport are concerned. I hope to have more to say about that before the end of the year. This is a pause, and I am very much looking forward to Sir Peter’s report. It is his first day today, and I will be finding out shortly when he intends to give me that report.

Davies Commission Report

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Wednesday 1st July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

Like others, the hon. Gentleman is tempting me to prejudge the Government's consideration of the report. The simple point is that, as he will have heard from various other Opposition Members, there are other considerations to take into account. I shall not therefore prejudge the decision we shall take.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that if the whole of the United Kingdom and, in particular, my constituents in Yorkshire are to benefit from these ambitious airport expansion plans, we need good conductivity, which means a good rail network with modern rolling stock and electrification?

[Mr McLoughlin]

Yes, I do. I am very proud of the huge investment in this Parliament, with £38.5 billion being spent on upgrading our railway network. I am very pleased to say that under this Government the Pacers will stop running in my hon. Friend’s constituency and will be replaced with better trains, which never happened under the previous Government.

Road Investment Strategy

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 1st December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

My hon. Friend is right about levels of investment, not only in his constituency but elsewhere in that area. That is a marked change in the way transport infrastructure is addressed by the Government, and I hope that that continues whichever Government are in office—it certainly will under this Government.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

The managed motorway scheme from Huddersfield to Leeds was completed on time and under budget, and I hope that the scheme announced from Huddersfield to Manchester will be completed with as little disruption to my commuting constituents as possible. Will my right hon. Friend’s Department and the Highways Agency continue to work with me on a possible new west bound exit off the M62 at Outlane in Huddersfield, which would ease pressure further up the motorway at Ainley Top?

[Mr McLoughlin]

Of course I will work with my hon. Friend. He referred to one part of the managed motorway scheme that was delivered on time and on budget. Another part is about to start, which I hope is delivered on time and on budget, with as little disruption as possible. As a member of the Transport Committee, the way my hon. Friend has addressed the importance of transport infrastructure shows that he understands what is needed in his area for the economy to prosper.

East Coast Main Line

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 27th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I have no objection to foreign companies wanting to invest in this country. I would have thought that the hon. Lady welcomed the fact that Hitachi is building new plants in Newton Aycliffe. She is not decrying Hitachi because it is a foreign company, is she? I have no objection to foreign countries wanting to invest in the United Kingdom. I welcome it.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

We shall have 3,000 extra seats during the morning peak time, 65 new state-of-the-art trains, a 10% reduction in long-distance Anytime fares and the first direct service from Huddersfield to London since 1960. Will my right hon. Friend continue to put passengers at the forefront of these new services?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for what he has said, but I should point out to him that this is not just about passengers. It is also about staff—the staff who deliver a fantastic service on the east coast main line, and who will now be given better training. I think that the national academy—which, as I said earlier, will be based in London, York and Derby—is very good news for the people who work on our railways, as well as the passengers who travel on them.

High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 28th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I will give way to my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Jason McCartney), and then I really must make some progress.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I welcome the fact that the Secretary of State has mentioned the northern hub rail investment, because many people against this project ask “Why not spend the money elsewhere?” I hope he will be emphasising the fact that this investment is as well as, not either/or. We are getting electrification of the trans-Pennine route, and I have just this morning been through Wakefield Westgate, a new £9 million station. This is about spending money elsewhere as well as, not instead of, on this project.

[Mr McLoughlin]

My hon. Friend is right. Over the next five years Network Rail will spend £38.5 billion on the existing railway network. That is separate from the money being earmarked for HS2.

High-speed Rail

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 24th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

As I have said, a period of consultation is going on and I am listening to the representations. No firm decision has yet been taken. The Higgins report states what Sir David believes would be the best way forward at the moment. I will certainly consider that, but I will also consider other recommendations and representations.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I very much welcome the cross-party support for this transformative project. On the Higgins report and the proposed new Crewe interchange, will the Secretary of State do everything he can to give clarity and certainty to the Yorkshire leg of the Y, so that we can crack on with investing in and regenerating the areas around the proposed new stations at Leeds and Sheffield, and along the branch lines, such as the one from Huddersfield to Sheffield which goes through my constituency, that will bring better connectivity?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. He is asking us to take on board the wider implications of HS2 across the area that it serves. I will certainly do that.

Transport Infrastructure

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Tuesday 17th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I think that the biggest increases in APD occurred under the last Government rather than this one. At a time when we are trying to reduce the deficit, it is always easy to find ways of making cuts, but we must then find a replacement for that certain income. As for the hon. Gentleman’s question about regional airports, I remind him of what I said a few moments ago about their importance to local communities.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the provision of more long-haul services from, for instance, Manchester airport, and Leeds Bradford International airport—which my constituents use—to China, India and the other emerging markets would help to ease all the congestion at London’s airports? Could that not be part of the solution?

[Mr McLoughlin]

It might play a role in easing some of the congestion, but the overall evidence shows that there is continuing growth in aviation traffic, and the commission is giving that careful consideration.

Rail Franchising

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Tuesday 26th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I welcome the certainty today’s statement brings and the opening of the east coast main line franchise. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that passenger gain will be at the forefront of the franchising process?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I assure my hon. Friend that we are going to take passengers’ views very much into account in this system. That has not happened before, and today Passenger Focus has welcomed that development. It is part of the judgement that we must make when considering whether franchises are achieving their targets.

West Coast Rail Franchise

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 6th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

By the sounds of it, we will have a full train on that particular trip. I had better talk to my right hon. Friend the Chief Whip to make sure that the timetable is conducive to the House’s sitting times.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I remind my right hon. Friend of the chaos, cost and uncertainty that resulted from the east coast main line collapsing not just once, but twice under the previous Government. With that in mind, will he update the House on the progress of that franchise?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for rightly pointing out that mistakes and things that go wrong in franchising are not new and that they have happened in the past. As I said, I am awaiting the Brown report, which will tell us about future franchising and will be an important part of our debate on it.

West Coast Main Line

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 15th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am glad that we have been able to reduce the proposed increases from RPI plus 3 to RPI plus 1. I hear what the hon. Gentleman says about fares. Of course, some pre-booked fares can cost a reasonable amount, but others are very high, and that is something I think we should all look at.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

What time scale implications will this all have for the east coast main line franchise? Will my right hon. Friend take note of the fiasco that occurred under the previous Government when two train operating companies on the east coast main line collapsed in only two and a half years?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I thought that it was a utopia under the previous Government and that nothing ever went wrong, but my hon. Friend is right to say that the only time a rail franchise collapsed was under the previous Government. The Opposition seem to have forgotten that today in their attacks on me. I hope that we can learn the lessons and move on and that this will not lead to too long a delay in any of the other franchises.