UK Infrastructure: 10-year Strategy Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

UK Infrastructure: 10-year Strategy

Tom Gordon Excerpts
Thursday 19th June 2025

(1 day, 17 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Darren Jones Portrait Darren Jones
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I thank my hon. Friend for her question. I am always delighted to meet her, and we should meet colleagues from the Department for Transport to make sure that, where we are investing billions of pounds—whether that is public or private capital—in important infrastructure such as the lower Thames crossing, people benefit from the wider effects of that investment.

Tom Gordon Portrait Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)
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Last week something amazing happened: I actually found myself in agreement with the Labour Mayor for York and North Yorkshire, when he said that spending review

“announcements fall well short”,

and that this

“government had a real chance to show it was serious about rural…areas—but it missed it.”

Does the Chief Secretary to the Treasury agree with me that one of the best ways to invest in new infrastructure would be by dualling and electrifying the line between Leeds and York via Harrogate in order to unlock growth in our part of Yorkshire?

Darren Jones Portrait Darren Jones
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I thank the hon. Member for his question. As he will have seen from the Chancellor’s previous statements, we are increasing investment in transport—whether rail, road or buses—specifically in the north and the midlands, so there is plenty of opportunity to bid for the project he mentions, and I am sure he will talk to Transport Ministers to make that case.