Autumn Statement Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Autumn Statement

Louise Ellman Excerpts
Tuesday 29th November 2011

(12 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Louise Ellman Portrait Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op)
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The announcement of new investment in transport infrastructure is very welcome. Can the Chancellor confirm that that investment will not be funded by reducing or delaying existing projects, and what will his announcement mean for the future of the northern hub and investment in rail across the north?

George Osborne Portrait Mr Osborne
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I can give that confirmation. This is additional money that has come from savings in current spending. Specifically on the northern hub, the first part of that is the electrification of the Manchester to Leeds trans-Pennine express, but that will also benefit train travel times from Liverpool across the Pennines. We have also made other improvements like the Ordsall chord, which will help. We want to go further on the northern hub and the Department for Transport will produce proposals on that early next year.