High Speed Rail

Robert Flello Excerpts
Monday 28th January 2013

(11 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I take that as a request to get a move on and get building a lot quicker. We will see what progress we can make.

Robert Flello Portrait Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)
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Although the Secretary of State’s comments about Staffordshire provide some crumbs of comfort, may I impress on him that unless we have a station in the north Staffordshire area the damage that will be done to our economy will be huge? Conversely, if we get one, the benefits will be equally massive.

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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As I said at the beginning of my statement, and as I shall now reiterate, these are our initial proposals. We have considered the issue, and I hope the hon. Gentleman will look at the early part of the sustainability study, particularly page 10, which shows the work that went in to try and model this. However, I hear what he says, and what my hon. Friends the Members for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) and for Lichfield (Michael Fabricant) are calling for.