Railways: Electrification Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Railways: Electrification

Lord Anderson of Swansea Excerpts
Wednesday 18th July 2012

(11 years, 10 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, I can assure noble Lords that the Government are not running scared of their Back-Benchers in respect of HS2. I would also remind the noble Lord that we are currently in CP4, which was devised by the previous Administration. The announcement is for CP5.

Lord Anderson of Swansea Portrait Lord Anderson of Swansea
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My Lords, in the spirit of good will just before the Recess, may I say that the Government deserve full-hearted congratulations on the decision to extend electrification to Swansea and to the valleys? Does the Minister recognise that one of the major problems in Wales is the widening gap between the relative prosperity of south-east Wales and that of west Wales and the valleys? This decision will go at least some way to contribute to a non-extension of that widening gap.