Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Bonavia and Rachel Reeves

Tuesday 9th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab)]

7. What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce costs for commuters.

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)]

Transport costs represent 14% of household spending, so the Government took decisive action in the Budget to freeze all regulated rail fares in England for one year from March 2026—the first time that has happened in 30 years.

[Kevin Bonavia]

I thank the Chancellor and the Transport Secretary for freezing rail fares next month, which will help to ease commuting costs, especially for my constituents who use Stevenage and Knebworth stations. However, affordability alone is only part of the railway jigsaw; regeneration schemes like Stevenage station gateway, supported by the Government’s towns fund, are part of a wider £1 billion regeneration programme for our town and provide a real opportunity to modernise transport hubs and improve connectivity, helping commuters get to work more easily. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that infrastructure investment for projects like the station gateway are prioritised, so that commuters can get to work—

[Rachel Reeves]

rose—

Spending Review 2025

Debate between Kevin Bonavia and Rachel Reeves

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Reeves]

I once spent a day at Thomas the Tank Engine world. I hope that the trains and the tram lines that we are going to be investing in will be a little less talkative and a bit more productive. The reason I mentioned my hon. Friend in my speech today is that he has persistently lobbied for the midlands rail hub, and we are very pleased as a Government to be able to make that commitment today, which will benefit his constituents and many others as well.

[Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab)]

Today’s spending review is a great big boost for the defence and life science sectors in this country. My constituency of Stevenage is a national hub for both those sectors. This morning, I visited the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult with the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Lord Patrick Vallance. Last week, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence visited MBDA to see the Storm Shadow missiles being fitted out for Ukraine. Today’s extra investment will be hugely welcomed in my town of Stevenage. Young people want those new jobs. When can they expect to see the benefits of that new investment?

[Rachel Reeves]

There are huge opportunities in Stevenage, both in life sciences and in the defence sector, to take advantage of the investment that we are putting in—whether that is in research and development or lifting defence spending to 2.6% of GDP in the next two years. I know that businesses, working with their tireless local MP, will make sure that that investment gets to Stevenage.