Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Sheila Gilmore Excerpts
Thursday 25th April 2013

(11 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Simon Burns Portrait Mr Burns
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I thank my hon. Friend for that question. It would be premature at this stage to give the sort of assurances he wants, because it is part and parcel of the whole issue of capacity in the south-east and so is a matter for the Davies commission as part of its wider inquiry into the future of airports and capacity.

Sheila Gilmore Portrait Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East) (Lab)
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In answer to an earlier question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), the Secretary of State said that he made decisions based on evidence. Why is that not being applied in relation to the east coast franchising, given that we have had two failures of the private sector and now experience of a good service?

Lord McLoughlin Portrait Mr McLoughlin
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The evidence was supported by the fact that we have seen huge growth in the railways since privatisation 20 years ago. Since then, there have been 13 years of Labour Government, and they did not reverse it—in fact, they enhanced and pushed forward the franchising. The last Labour Secretary of State said that franchising was a good thing. I believe he was right and that passengers benefit from it.