Contributions
1,819 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes an interesting point. Labour Members constantly call on me to enter into direct negotiations with the unions. They may be able to tell us whether the Mayor of…30 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am not sure what the question was. During the last oral questions, I was taking on the UK presidency of the International Transport Forum, which is the world’s most important…30 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs a pilot, I understand how NOTAMs—notices to aviation—work: they are the responsibility of either the pilot or the aviation operator, which in this case was the airport, to…30 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsYes.30 Jun 2022HANSARDTopical QuestionsI know the whole House will share our concerns about the potential for aviation disruption this summer. Millions of families are looking forward to getting away on holiday, which…30 Jun 2022HANSARDIndustrial Action: RailwaysAs I have explained to the House, a pay rise was already on the cards, and it is false to have called a strike on the basis that there would be a pay freeze. The pay freeze had…30 Jun 2022HANSARDIndustrial Action: RailwaysWe are intending to progress with minimum service levels. That is in our manifesto, and we will be introducing legislation later this year. As my hon. Friend rightly points out,…30 Jun 2022HANSARDIndustrial Action: RailwaysMy hon. Friend is right, but it is actually even worse than that. Not only was £16 billion of taxpayers’ money put in—£600 per family in this country, or £160,000 per individual…30 Jun 2022HANSARDIndustrial Action: RailwaysThe Centre for Economics and Business Research has estimated the cost of the RMT’s strike action to be at least £91 million due to workplace absences. However, Network Rail has…30 Jun 2022HANSARDElectric Vehicle InfrastructureI do not know whether the hon. Lady has, like me, been driving an electric car for the past three years, but in that period of time I have noticed that the number of chargers…30 Jun 2022HANSARDElectric Vehicle InfrastructureJust to correct the record: that is not true. We still have the grant for vans, for taxis and for other vehicles. The reality is that when the grant, which is a direct payment to…30 Jun 2022HANSARDElectric Vehicle InfrastructureI congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that he has done in winning that funding. He mentions the important work that will happen with 40 new electric chargers in his patch. It…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayThe one thing I would say is that ScotRail has been run latterly by the Scottish Government. The amount of delays even before that was extremely high. The disputes that have taken…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayI think that I have actually just discovered the root of the hon. Lady’s accusation that I am a part-time Transport Secretary. Just to correct the record—and I will give her the…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayI am passionate about rail, including in Wales. I will be announcing more in the RNEP, and the hon. Gentleman will not have to wait too long for that. I think he can see that, as…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayOr course we have a record investment in the railway—nobody can argue with that; I believe the figure is £34 billion for developments. We will be publishing the RNEP shortly, and…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayMy hon. Friend serves her constituents incredibly well. Again, a strategic outline business plan for high-speed services from St Pancras to Eastbourne is in, and I can confirm…30 Jun 2022HANSARDElectric Vehicle InfrastructureSince 2020, the Government have committed £2.5 billion to supporting the transition to electric vehicles.30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayI think the whole House recognises my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm for the South Fylde line. We received the strategic outline business case in November 2021, we continue to review…30 Jun 2022HANSARDModernisation of the RailwayThe Government are delivering on the reforms set out in the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, making passengers’ journeys easier, more reliable and more affordable.30 Jun 2022