Contributions
1,335 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)The principle the Government continue to establish is important for the relationship between the state and the ORR when it comes to safety-related duties. I recognise the…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 39, in clause 23, page 13, line 9, at end insert— “(3) The memorandum of understanding must be published at the same time as the Rail Strategy. (4) The…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)I am grateful to the Minister for her intervention, but it needs to be much clearer than that, because we are talking about the general duties of GBR. GBR will be able to rely on…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)I am interested to hear the Minister’s strong hints that the memorandum of understanding may be much more advanced than we had previously been led to believe. The intention of…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend is quite right that we need to look at modal interoperability. Does she agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge that a level crossing in a…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)In oral evidence before the Transport Committee, Ben Plowden, the chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “We have a question about the difference in the…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 26, in clause 16, page 9, line 11, leave out “have regard to” and insert “seek to achieve”.29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)I have listened carefully to what the Minister has said on amendment 25, particularly his comments on the Secretary of State, so I will not press it to a Division. Amendment…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)Thank you, Mrs Hobhouse; I am grateful for that guidance. Amendment 36 is a bench-marking amendment. It is absolutely crucial to keep GBR honest in the future when it comes to…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)The usual procedure applies again. Clause 16 requires both GBR and the Office of Rail and Road to “have regard to” a number of different requirements, such as the long-term rail…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)The Minister is touching on a key issue that the railway will have to address if he is serious about achieving a reliable Sunday service, and that is operating a seven-day…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)This is now a common refrain in our deliberations. The Minister says, “Don’t worry. All these things will be taken care of at some future date in documents that have not been…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)I thank the hon. Member for his intervention, and for standing up for the jobs in his constituency, which is something we all need to do. I cannot speak for the actions of the…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)I am grateful to the Minister, who is doing his job in highlighting some of the practical challenges that the amendment might entail. The important bit is not so much the…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)My hon. Friend is absolutely right. New clause 33(3)(a) to (d) is aimed at reducing short-term decisions and focusing more on long-term efficiency and savings. I am sure there are…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)I am aware that we need to make progress in this Committee, so I will not press every amendment to a Division. I am not persuaded by the Minister’s arguments in relation to…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)Will the Minister clarify his argument? I ask because a business plan by its nature looks forward, whereas a report looks backward and marks homework. How can the business plan…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)I just want to give the Minister some further clarity about what amendment 25 actually does. He is right that it says, “The document issued under subsection (1) must be in force…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Eighth sitting)I beg to move amendment 262, in clause 17, page 9, line 24, at end insert— “(1A) Any proposals by the Secretary of State and Great British Rail about how they intend to meet the…29 Jan 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Seventh sitting)Starlink.29 Jan 2026