Contributions
630 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSeaborne FreightThe particular prompt for this procurement exercise was a change in the assumptions last autumn about the level of potential disruption around the channel ports. That prompted us…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightMy right hon. Friend makes an important point. I have heard nothing from Labour bar attempts to disrupt the Brexit process. There has been no support for contingency planning or…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightI am not sure that the hon. Gentleman was listening to a word I said. He asked a question about no ships. I can confirm that, as of last week, two ships had been identified and…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightI share my hon. Friend’s disappointment. We are spending a lot of money on contingency planning and resilience in Kent, and I personally regard the port of Ramsgate as an…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightThe hon. and learned Lady was not listening a moment ago when I answered that very same question from the Chair of the Select Committee. I said that the thing that prompted the…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightMy Department is accruing a bill of many, many millions of pounds, preparing for a no-deal Brexit in a whole variety of different areas—we are working on maritime, aviation and…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightI have to say that the hon. Gentleman brings new meaning to the term “utter hogwash”. First, he clearly was not listening when I said that we have spent no money on this contract.…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightIn December, following a collective Government decision and a procurement process involving my Department and the Treasury, we contracted with three shipping companies to provide…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightAbsolutely. I am also aware that the port of Zeebrugge has made a lot of preparations for the post-Brexit world. One of the things that can help to ease pressure on Dover would be…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightThere was no fake traffic jam; it was an exercise to test the movements of vehicles into and out of Manston in Kent. The timetable troubles were caused by a project where…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightI have been absolutely clear that this procurement was dealt with very carefully by officials in my Department and in the Treasury who fully understood the legal implications of…11 Feb 2019HANSARDSeaborne FreightIt is not for me to ascribe any motivations to Arklow for the decision it has taken. I regret it having taken that decision, and I think it is a shame, particularly as it gave…11 Feb 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationI have talked to the chief executives of every major UK airline. I have also talked to representatives of a significant number of international airlines.10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: PortsThe Department has been working for some time to ensure that traffic can continue to flow through UK ports as frictionlessly as possible in all scenarios when we leave the…10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationThe UK Government and European Commission have agreed in principle that the two sides should negotiate a comprehensive air transport agreement. The Department is working closely…10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationI think that the aviation sector will continue to grow and develop as it has in recent years. We will continue to have connections across Europe, as we do at the moment, and, of…10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationThe European Union has said that it wants to keep flights at the current levels, and I suspect that they will find that that is not a universally held view among member states.10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationI agree with my hon. Friend, and that is why we have put down a clear requirement that as Heathrow expands a proportion of its capacity is set aside for regional connectivity…10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationIndeed he has, Mr Speaker. I would simply remind the right hon. Gentleman of two factors. First, the disruptive attack at Gatwick was unprecedented anywhere in the world, and as a…10 Jan 2019HANSARDLeaving the EU: AviationThe hon. Lady says, “should we have to leave the EU”. The country has already voted to leave the EU and we will next week vote on an agreement that would continue current aviation…10 Jan 2019