Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Jim Fitzpatrick Excerpts
Thursday 10th July 2014

(10 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Stephen Hammond Portrait Stephen Hammond
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My hon. Friend is right in what he says. He will have seen that consultation and the fact that we have invited initiatives from operators and franchise bidders in that regard. The possibility of extra services is being opened up by this Government’s commitment to electrification; by 2019 we will have put in place more than 870 miles of electrification whereas Labour managed less than 8 miles.

Jim Fitzpatrick Portrait Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse) (Lab)
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Will the Minister with responsibility for shipping support the Mission to Seafarers, the Apostleship of the Sea and Seafarers UK and the excellent work those important charities do? Will he look at what support the Department gives and whether it can be increased for those very important charities?

Stephen Hammond Portrait Stephen Hammond
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The hon. Gentleman is right. I support those charities, and I am delighted to have attended a number of their events with him. I will look at that and see whether there is any more that the Department can do.