Oral Answers to Questions

Jeff Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 13th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Obviously, my hon. Friend refers to the independent public inquiry, and after that took place the then Communities and Local Government Secretary called in the decision, and the new Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary is considering the inspector’s report. I understand that the Secretary of State hopes to issue his decision on or before the published target date of 2 August.

[Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab)]

Q11. It took nearly 5,000 cancelled trains in just three weeks for the Transport Secretary to notice the Northern rail crisis. If this Government cannot run our railways properly, will the Prime Minister agree with businesses, council leaders and over 25 newspapers from across the region and give Transport for the North the powers that it needs to do the job?

[The Prime Minister]

We have given Transport for the North unprecedented powers to influence decisions about transport investment in the north, but what is more we have backed it up with £260 million of Government funding. It has the powers to deliver a transport strategy, which the Government must formally consider, to fund organisations and to deliver transport projects. Those and its other powers are exactly what Transport for the North requested.