Jonathan Reynolds
Main Page: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)Department Debates - View all Jonathan Reynolds's debates with the HM Treasury
National Infrastructure Plan
Jonathan Reynolds Excerpts(10 years, 11 months ago)
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Danny Alexander
The evaluation of all the projects is very stringent, and I ensure that that happens, but we have also taken some very difficult decisions to constrain public spending in other areas to make more investment available for infrastructure projects. I think that that is the right balance, because infrastructure projects are so important for the long-term future of the country. Under-investment in infrastructure has been a British disease for decades, and we need to end it.
Jonathan Reynolds (Stalybridge and Hyde) (Lab/Co-op)
Further to the very good question from the hon. Member for High Peak (Andrew Bingham), may I politely say to the Chief Secretary that since his announcement on 27 June of the transport routes feasibility study, it has been very hard to get details even of its terms? It took me three letters to the Department for Transport just to achieve that; it was obviously very busy delivering all the numerous projects around the country. Will he reaffirm his commitment to work with not only me and the hon. Member for High Peak, but colleagues from around the affected area—from Sheffield, Barnsley, Derbyshire—because trans-Pennine connectivity is truly awful at the minute? It needs a lot more attention than it is getting, and there is huge consensus in the House about trying to improve that.
Danny Alexander
I certainly agree that the Department for Transport is working very hard to deliver a large number of projects. I am grateful that that is recognised by at least one Opposition Member. As I said in my remarks, we need to make sure that local views are listened to as part of feasibility studies. I am sorry if the hon. Gentleman has had difficulties in getting across such views, and I will certainly pass that point on to colleagues in the Department for Transport. I wholeheartedly agree with him about the importance of trans-Pennine connectivity. That is why we initiated the feasibility study in the first place, and I hope that he will welcome its proposals when they are made.