Contributions
565 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDRailways Bill (Eleventh sitting)I take fully on board the hon. Member’s point that we need to ensure services are not squeezed out. The process I am outlining is specifically to ensure that that does not happen.…05 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Twelfth sitting)That is why the point about designing the scheme in close consultation with industry partners is so important. The hon. Member has read my mind, as I am about to turn to specific…05 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Twelfth sitting)It is, once again, a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. Amendment 254 would require GBR, when charging above the cost directly incurred—in other words, when…05 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Twelfth sitting)I am pleased to speak to this group of provisions, which concludes the scrutiny on the access chapters of the Bill. Clause 72 provides the Secretary of State with the power to…05 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I will happily let the shadow Minister intervene again, because I would like to seek clarity on how inserting “and” would allow the watchdog to choose whether it has to…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)My point is that the shadow Minister’s interpretation of the term “investigation” might diverge slightly from mine in respect of what we expect the passenger watchdog to do in…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)The shadow Minister asked about the interaction between Transport Focus and London TravelWatch in instances in which cross-border services might need active deliberation between…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I see.03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the hon. Member for the amendments, which would require the ORR to take action in the event of a referral from the passenger watchdog. First, I will point out that…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I turn first to the shadow Minister’s point about either diffusing enforcement capabilities between the ORR and the passenger watchdog or seeking to double them up as part of…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I am pleased to speak to clauses 37 and 38 relating to the passenger watchdog’s duty to keep matters under review and its power to collect information. Clause 37 ensures that the…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the shadow Minister for his contribution. Perhaps, in slower time, he can walk me through each specific provision and we can come to a determination as to the intent that…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank hon. Members for their amendments, which relate to the standard-setting role of the passenger watchdog and to accessibility. I will speak first to those related to the…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the shadow Minister for his remarks. We consulted the industry and the public on the future of the content and functions of the alternative dispute resolution service, and…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Ninth sitting)Clauses 28 and 29 enable the Secretary of State and Scottish and Welsh Ministers to exempt certain railway passenger services from designation. Exempting a service means that the…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Ninth sitting)Good morning, Mrs Barker, and to everybody—another day in Committee. I thank the hon. Member for Broadland and Fakenham for these amendments, which seek to ensure that the…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)I thank the shadow Minister for that clarification. Amendment 141 would remove the requirement for the Secretary of State and the ORR to consent to standards that may be set,…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)With your permission, Mrs Hobhouse, I will speak to the clauses now and address the new clause once I have heard the shadow Minister’s remarks. Clauses 44 and 45 relate to…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Tenth sitting)The Committee will be glad to hear that I do not intend to re-rehearse the argument that I pre-emptively set out in response to the amendments. On the broader point made by the…03 Feb 2026HANSARDRailways Bill (Ninth sitting)The right hon. Member is far too eager. I shall turn to that in due course. Amendment 148 would prevent the Secretary of State and Scottish Ministers from issuing directions to…03 Feb 2026