Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 11th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Jesse Norman]

Aware, Mr Speaker? How could I not be aware? My hon. Friend has been indefatigable; in fact, few parliamentarians in any Parliament could have matched his energy and zeal in pressing the case for the A120. He has been terrier-like in his lobbying, and he can take it from me that the Minister has been duly terrierised.

[Mr Speaker]

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will have that tribute framed and erected in a suitable location in his home. We look forward to an update on that in due course.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I am not sure how this matter relates to Northamptonshire, but I have a feeling that the hon. Gentleman is about to explain.

[Mr Bone]

Mr Speaker, to get to the A120 in Braintree, which a lot of my constituents want to do, they have to go down the A509, which is even more congested. The Minister has kindly given £25 million for a bypass, but the wretched South East Midlands local enterprise partnership quango is blocking it. Will he get together with me to knock some heads together and get the bypass sorted out so that we can get to Braintree on the A120?

--- Later in debate ---

[Karl Turner]

There is no link for ratings. It is not true.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman, I can see, is in what I would call good chuntering form. His favourite sport is to chunter from a sedentary position. [Interruption.] I am grateful to be advised of the hon. Gentleman’s opinions from his seat as well as when he is on his feet.

[Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to support the transition to electric vehicles.

--- Later in debate ---

[Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con)]

13. What recent steps his Department has taken to promote cycling and walking.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Minister of State Norman.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Jesse Norman)]

Tragically not, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

It is only a matter of time.

[Jesse Norman]

A man can only dream.

My hon. Friend will, I hope, be delighted by the enormous energy that the Government have been showing in the area of cycling and walking, following our investment strategy published last year. That includes: the new safety review; new funding; cycle ambition cities; the transforming cities fund, which is being heavily used to improve urban environments for cycling and walking; support for changes to the “Highway Code” on close passing; and a great number of other measures. When we announce the response to the cycle safety review later this year, I hope there will be more to say on this topic.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Grayling]

As the hon. Lady will be aware, Northern rail’s performance has improved markedly since the difficult days in June and July. It is now running more services than it did prior to the timetable change. As for what we will do, we will replace every train with a newer and more reliable train, and we will get rid of all the old Pacer trains that run into and out of Liverpool which, frankly, should have gone to the scrapyard years ago. I hope that she will welcome the investment we have put into Liverpool Lime Street station. I am going there next week to see the long overdue work that has been done to upgrade that station.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mark Garnier. Not here.

[Lee Rowley (North East Derbyshire) (Con)]

T5. Chesterfield canal is part of the way through a restoration of its historical route, which is to be completed in time for its 250th anniversary a few years from now. However, the restoration of the last few miles has been stopped in recent years because confirmation cannot be obtained from HS2 that barges will still be able to get underneath it if the trains go ahead. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that that will be possible?

--- Later in debate ---

[Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab)]

The rail service offered by TransPennine Express to my constituents is frankly abysmal. If trains turn up at all, they are usually late, overcrowded and far too short. No more warm words, Secretary of State: what are you doing about it here and now?

[Mr Speaker]

I am not doing anything about it at all, but I hope that the Secretary of State might be.

[Chris Grayling]

What we are doing is making up for the fact that the last Labour Government in power established a zero-investment set of franchises in the north, with no new trains and no new investment. We are replacing, with either a brand new train or a refurbished-as-new train, every single train on the Northern and TransPennine franchises, with more seats, more carriages and a better deal for commuters. It has taken longer than I would have wished, but it is going to make a difference.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. What is now required is a single-sentence question without semi-colons.

[Mr Paul Sweeney (Glasgow North East) (Lab/Co-op)]

Has the Minister followed the developments since our last meeting on the issue of ports infrastructure on the west coast of Scotland, and is she able to update us on any progress?

[Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con)]

Does the Speaker agree that it has come to a pretty pass when a Member finds out that works have begun on a motorway to turn it into a parking lot without consultation either with the local community or with surrounding Members? The M26 works started last night. I wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in April to ask whether this was going to happen, and I was assured that works were not planned. Only yesterday was it confirmed to me that Highways England had said that that was exactly what was planned, despite having told me the reverse only a week earlier. Does the Speaker agree with me, and will he urge my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to explain to the House how this planning permission has been granted with no consultation?

[Mr Speaker]

I admire the breathing capacity of the hon. Gentleman. I get the impression that he is at least moderately discontented.

[Tom Tugendhat]

Correct, Sir.

[Mr Speaker]

I am not sure that my view is of any great interest to the House, but I am sure that it will want to know what the Secretary of State has to say to my somewhat irritated colleague.

[Chris Grayling]

I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss this. I do not expect any of the contingencies that we have in place for a no-deal Brexit to be needed, because I am confident that we will reach a sensible agreement, but I would be happy to discuss this with him.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry, but we must now move on to other business.