Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Kelvin Hopkins Excerpts
Thursday 24th May 2018

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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When I am ready to update the House, I will of course come back to do so in person. The Committee recommended that the Government progress with their work, and it made a number of very helpful and constructive suggestions about elements to be included within that work. I remain absolutely of the view that airport expansion is necessary for the economy of this country. The important thing is that we deliver it in the best possible way for local communities.

Kelvin Hopkins Portrait Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Ind)
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May I suggest to the Secretary of State that a much cheaper and more practicable alternative to the Heathrow third runway would be to use the considerable spare capacity and long runway at Birmingham airport by electrifying and upgrading the Chiltern railway line and linking it to Crossrail? This would provide for a fast, direct, non-stop shuttle service between central London and Birmingham airport and would help to solve the south-east airport capacity problem. Will he give serious consideration to this proposal?

Lord Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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Of course the arrival of HS2, with projected future growth in passenger numbers at our airports, will provide an alternative and will provide for a bit of competition between airports, which is no bad thing. The hon. Gentleman is right about that, but I do not think it is either one or the other.