Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts
Thursday 24th October 2019

(5 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Paul Maynard Portrait Paul Maynard
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The hon. Gentleman is perhaps tempting me to go a little too far in presuming that everything is going ahead. I do not want to pre-empt Mr Oakervee’s report, but he will be aware that under the previous plans, classic-compatible trains will run north of Wigan and will therefore be able to stop at a range of stations, including Kendal, Oxenholme in the Lake District and Carlisle. That is part of what the West Coast Partnership will be able to consider.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I congratulate the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington) on his moderately demonstrative tie.

David Lidington Portrait Sir David Lidington (Aylesbury) (Con)
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From you, Mr Speaker, I take that as a compliment.

Will my hon. Friend instruct HS2 Ltd that it and its contractors should follow its own construction code and give local residents along phase 1 due and proper advance notice of the enabling works that it intends to carry out, instead of the high-handed, peremptory and arrogant approach that HS2 Ltd is currently taking?

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None Portrait Several hon. Members rose—
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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On the grounds that Thurrock is somewhat more geographically deserving than Truro and Falmouth in respect of this question, I call Jackie Doyle-Price.

Jackie Doyle-Price Portrait Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock) (Con)
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Plans to deliver 3,000 new homes in Purfleet in my constituency have ground to a halt following Highways England’s decision to reject any planning application for more than 250 houses due to pressure on the A13. I find it difficult to explain to my constituents why Highways England is putting a new motorway through Thurrock while preventing us from planning and delivering new homes. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the matter?

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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
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If there was any possible way to ensure the survival of a company whose directors were allegedly being paid millions of pounds—it is interesting to hear that the Opposition want us to have backed those millions of pounds of bonuses with yet more money from the public purse—we would have done it, but, as I said, it would have required accounting officer direction, because it simply did not stack up. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the reality is that Hays Travel has come in and rescued many of those jobs, because well-run companies survive. Poorly run companies cannot survive.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Observers of our proceedings will doubtless have heard the sedentary exclamations of the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner), who is further validating the assertion that I make to audiences around the world, which is that he is the loudest Member of the House.

Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
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T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

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Chris Heaton-Harris Portrait Chris Heaton-Harris
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My hon. Friend has been campaigning on this issue, possibly since the day he was born; he is certainly in my ear about it all the time. Increasing frequency on local Great Western Railway trains is the best way in which to provide additional frequency and seats on the route, and this is likely to be provided as an extension of MetroWest additional services for Bristol to Yate, with the Department funding Yate to Gloucester. MetroWest proposals are under development by GWR as part of the next franchise, which will start in April 2020.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Transport without a brake would be like a car without a driver—Tom Brake.

Tom Brake Portrait Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)
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In relation to Operation Yellowhammer, may I ask the Secretary of State what role the 300 troops and 180 police officers who are to be put on standby will play in policing the transport network in and around the port of Portsmouth, and how many other troops and police may be deployed at other ports?

None Portrait Several hon. Members rose—
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Ah, let us call a Member who used to have responsibility for buses and various other forms of transport at different times—Mr Andrew Jones.

Andrew Jones Portrait Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)
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After a widely supported and successful campaign against a relief road in Harrogate, the transport authority is now looking at a package of sustainable measures to take transport forward in the area. What support will the Government provide to North Yorkshire County Council and other such councils developing sustainable transport packages?

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None Portrait Several hon. Members rose—
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Ah, another habitué of Transport questions —Martin Vickers.

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None Portrait Several hon. Members rose—
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I am sorry, but we must move on.

Andy McDonald Portrait Andy McDonald
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On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Well, very briefly.

Andy McDonald Portrait Andy McDonald
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I am grateful, Mr Speaker. In our exchanges on Question 3, my hon. Friend the Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) raised her concerns about the delayed publication of the Oakervee report. The Minister responded by saying that she was making it up. I can assure you, Mr Speaker, that when my hon. Friend comes to the Dispatch Box she does not make things up—she tells the truth. If the Minister has inadvertently used language that he ought not to, perhaps he could come to the Dispatch Box right now and withdraw the slur that he has laid against her immediately, without any qualification.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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It is incumbent upon a Minister to own up if he or she considers an error to have been made. I would simply say that as a matter of fact Members must be assumed to speak what they believe to be true. It all happened very quickly, and I did mutter at the time that a Member will say only what he or she believes. So it was, I think, infelicitous, at the very least, and a gracious withdrawal would be appreciated.

Paul Maynard Portrait Paul Maynard
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I have not received the said report, but I am happy to clarify the point and I withdraw the exact comment.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I am extremely grateful to the Minister. I thank him for that and we will leave it there.