All 2 Debates between Roberta Blackman-Woods and Lord McLoughlin

Thu 27th Nov 2014

East Coast Main Line

Debate between Roberta Blackman-Woods and Lord McLoughlin
Thursday 27th November 2014

(10 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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Indeed. I think the right hon. Gentleman will agree that the new trains, which will be built in the north-east shortly, will be of tremendous benefit on this particular line and will provide the investment the line has wanted for many a year.

Roberta Blackman-Woods Portrait Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)
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I hope the Secretary of State will forgive me if I do not share his enthusiasm for today’s announcement. Some of us have been here before, with private sector companies promising the earth to win contracts and then not delivering in practice. Why did the Government not listen to local people and keep the excellent East Coast in place as a public sector comparator? What will he do to ensure the promises that have been made will be delivered?

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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The people who are serving on East Coast trains now will be the people serving on the new InterCity franchise that I have announced today. I will quote another Labour Member of Parliament; that seems to be a bit of a habit this morning. The right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) said:

“will he be fair to the marvellous train crews of Virgin Trains, who give extraordinarily good service, and tell them that their future is assured? Will he simply award the franchise to Virgin, which has carried it out brilliantly?”—[Official Report, 15 October 2012; Vol. 551, c. 53.]

In fairness, he was referring to the west coast main line, but if I go back to that statement I could quote those people time and again.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Roberta Blackman-Woods and Lord McLoughlin
Thursday 23rd October 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Roberta Blackman-Woods Portrait Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)
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T10. Only a third of the infrastructure projects trumpeted by the Government will have actually started by 2015, and the A14 fiasco probably sums up the Government’s record on roads. When will the Government end the delays and re-announcements and start to deliver the infrastructure our country needs?

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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I would put the infrastructure record of this Government alongside the infrastructure investment of the previous Government any day. It would be shown to be far more substantial than anything ever planned by the previous Government. I have had the solid support of both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer in making sure we have available funds for infrastructure.