Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Luke Hall Excerpts
Thursday 19th April 2018

(6 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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As the hon. Gentleman will know on the strength of his nearly 39 years of experience in the House, the effect of a point of order during exchanges on a question is to cause all further exchanges on it immediately to cease. Fortunately for the hon. Gentleman, he does not risk becoming hugely unpopular as a result of his attempted point of order, for the simple reason that no one else was standing and seeking to catch my eye—other than the hon. Gentleman with his rather bogus, albeit enjoyable, point of order.

Luke Hall Portrait Luke Hall (Thornbury and Yate) (Con)
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13. What his policy is on rail reform.

Lord Johnson of Marylebone Portrait The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Joseph Johnson)
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The Secretary of State’s strategic vision for rail was published in November 2017, and sets out our key reforms. Better teamwork between franchise operators and Network Rail will make the railway more responsive to customers’ needs and move power closer to local areas.

Luke Hall Portrait Luke Hall
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South Gloucestershire Council is pushing ahead with its plans to deliver a vital half-hourly train link from Yate to Bristol. Will my hon. Friend explain how his rail policies will help to achieve that, and will he consider visiting Yate so that he can see at first hand how important the upgrade is to our local community?

Lord Johnson of Marylebone Portrait Joseph Johnson
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Improving connectivity around our great cities, including Bristol, is exactly the kind of scheme that our reforms are designed to deliver. The Government will continue to work closely with local partners to deliver the MetroWest scheme in the Bristol area. We are also examining the potential for the new MetroWest services to be extended beyond their currently planned termini.