EU Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Changes

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

I have already confirmed that by repeating the Prime Minister’s assurance, and we do accept that section 31 of the withdrawal Act is binding.

[Sir Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales) (Con)]

Should the country leave the European Union without a deal, what would be the liabilities owed to the European Union?

[Mr Walker]

My right hon. Friend asks an interesting question, and of course there are a range of different views on that. The House of Lords Committee has taken one view, and other hon. and right hon. Gentlemen will take others.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 28th April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

Well, sometimes we get what we want, Mr Speaker. I am more than happy to meet the right hon. Lady on this. There does seem to be some confusion over whether it is a matter for Transport for London or for Highways England. That is no answer to the people who are suffering from the problems. It is a very difficult area to deal with, because of all the residential implications, but we will have that meeting.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

I do not really care who answers my question. From the Minister’s description earlier, the local major transport projects fund could have been tailor-made for the Carrington bridge and the Worcester southern link project, which the finest minds at the Worcestershire LEP are preparing a bid for. May I say to the Secretary of State and his team that there should be no wiggle room for the Government in approving this project?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I visited—probably almost a year ago to the day—the bridge to which my hon. Friend referred. I cannot quite remember what was going on at the time. I viewed it from a site that was opened by his father some 30 years previously. The point that he makes about it being a suitable scheme for the local majors fund is certainly one that should be considered, and I urge the LEP and the local authority to ensure that they put in an application for it to be considered.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 29th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I can tell the hon. Gentleman that, of the huge amounts of steel bought by Network Rail, the vast majority—some 95%—is bought from UK production, but if I have understood his question wrongly, perhaps he could write to me and I will write back to him.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

The Secretary of State mentioned the great success of the Norwich in 90 campaign by my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Chloe Smith). As he will know, Worcester is just six miles further from London than Norwich is, as the crow flies, and 15 miles further away by car, yet it regularly takes my constituents more than 150 minutes to reach the capital by train. Will he do everything he can to lean on Great Western and Network Rail to get our service down to under two hours on a regular basis?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 16th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I am appearing before the hon. Lady and her Select Committee on Monday afternoon, where I am sure we will go into a much deeper dive on those points.

I did not manage to finish my answer to the shadow spokesman, the hon. Member for Barnsley East (Michael Dugher). It is worth pointing out that I did say in March and in January, when I was before the Transport Committee, that there were some problems with some aspects of the electrification of the northern Pennine line, and that is why, when the new franchise was issued, it mentioned diesel trains—[Interruption.] Sorry, Mr Speaker, these are very big questions and I am trying to be as open as possible with the House. I realise it is frustrating that these responses are so long.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

5. What plans his Department has to relieve congestion and support growth through investment in roads in Worcestershire.

Network Rail

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 25th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I went some way to say what we have done as far as the northern area is concerned and the northern powerhouse. For the first time we are seeing electric trains from Manchester to Preston and from Preston to Blackpool, and huge investment in the Manchester Victoria line. I have talked about the release of rolling stock as far as the Great Western main line is concerned, and that is one reason why I chose that area to take priority.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

I thank the Secretary of State for continuing the investment in the Great Western main line, but having visited my constituents recently he will be acutely aware that they take longer to get to and from the capital than they did in 1910. Can he reassure me that nothing in the statement will delay the pressure on First Great Western to deliver a two-hour service between Worcester and the capital, or the delivery of Worcestershire Parkway station?

[Mr McLoughlin]

I can confirm that nothing in the statement will impact on the improvements that my hon. Friend wishes to see.

Road Investment Strategy

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 1st December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I do not encourage anybody to dance on the roads. On the point about dualling the area mentioned by my hon. Friend, that is certainly on the table. It is for local people to show their enthusiasm for such a scheme, so that we can move it forward.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

May I thank the Secretary of State for and congratulate him on the very welcome and desperately needed investment in capacity at junction 6 of the M5, which will unlock growth in local businesses in Worcester? However, after a decade of lost investment in local roads, we desperately need more investment in the southern link, particularly at the Carrington bridge on the A440.

[Mr McLoughlin]

I take my hon. Friend’s first point about the M5. I will need a bit more notice of his other point, but no doubt he will write to me.

High-speed Rail

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Monday 24th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

I very much believe and hope that HS2 will be beneficial to Coventry. The entire west midlands benefits from HS2 and Coventry is certainly part of that wider west midlands conurbation. I want to see greater interconnection between the cities, and we have the time to plan and get that right. In this control period and the next one for Network Rail, we will be able to build on certain proposals that I know Coventry wants. Representatives of Coventry have been to see me and made recommendations about certain line improvements that they want to see.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

KPMG predicts benefits of more than £200 million for Worcestershire’s economy from HS2, so I broadly welcome the statement, but can the Secretary of State reassure my constituents that nothing in it precludes investment in faster trains between London and Worcester to address the absurdity that a journey of 130 miles, which took under two hours in 1910, takes more than two and a half hours today?

[Mr McLoughlin]

My hon. Friend is right. One of the problems that HS2 addresses in a way that no other proposals put before us will address is capacity. I very much hope that it will free up other journeys so that we can have faster journey times from cities such as Worcester.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Lord McLoughlin

Thursday 28th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr McLoughlin]

Let me address the issue of Stansted airport. I am pleased that the Stansted sale has taken place, as it brings competition into the airport system, and I know that my right hon. Friend the Member for Saffron Walden (Sir Alan Haselhurst) has supported and advocated that for some time. As for the hon. Gentleman’s point about wider airports, obviously every case has to be looked at individually by the proper authorities.

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

9. What progress his Department has made on funding new railway stations.