Thursday Volume 494 25 June 2009 No. 99 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 25 June 2009 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2009 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; Tel: 0044 (0) 208876344; e-mail: [email protected] 919 25 JUNE 2009 920 serves the south Devon economy and the need for House of Commons investment in road infrastructure—most notably the A380 Kingskerswell bypass. Thursday 25 June 2009 Paul Clark: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that there is always a need to look across a region The House met at half-past Ten o’clock to examine demand, the economy, proposed developments and the transport infrastructure. We know the importance of having a good transport infrastructure, be it for PRAYERS people travelling to and from work, for businesses moving their goods or for people visiting those businesses’ headquarters in order to trade. That is why the Department [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] has been undertaking processes to give powers and responsibilities to regions and local areas so that they can prioritise their requirements within a given region. Oral Answers to Questions Cross-Border Transport Networks 2. Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Lab): What recent discussions he has had with ministerial TRANSPORT colleagues in the devolved Administrations on cross- border improvements to transport networks. [282099] The Minister of State was asked— The Minister of State, Department for Transport Exeter Airport (Mr. Sadiq Khan): My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Transport met Stewart Stevenson MSP and 1. Mr. Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con): What recent John Swinney MSP in April to discuss progress on the assessment the Secretary of State has made of the Department’s work on High Speed 2 and its potential adequacy of road links to Exeter airport; and if he will benefits for Scotland. The Secretary of State has also make a statement. [282098] given evidence to the Scottish Parliament Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee and met The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Committee members to discuss various matters. (Paul Clark): First, Mr. Speaker, may I congratulate Additionally, Ministers in the Department have met you on your appointment as Speaker of the House? The Ieuan Wyn Jones AM to discuss Welsh cross-border rail Ministers in the Department for Transport look forward and road issues. to working with you on the business. On 6 May, the Department gave outline investment Gordon Banks: Mr. Speaker, may I congratulate you approval for £12 million towards the east of Exeter on your new duties? phase 2 improvements. Measures include improving the I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. The junction access to Exeter airport. This investment was economic success of devolution is largely dependent on agreed after assessing the transport conditions in the efficient cross-UK transport links. He mentioned that immediate and wider area, and reflecting proposed there have been discussions with the Scottish Executive development opportunities. about High Speed 2 and the prospect of a London to Scotland high-speed line, but will he do everything that Mr. Swire: I am grateful to the Minister for his he can to ensure that this turns into reality and to answer. Improving road connections to the airport is all ensure that devolution brings economic success to Scotland? very well, but, given the Government’s stated commitment to a high-speed rail network and the desire of the Mr. Khan: I thank my hon. Friend for his supplementary airport to become carbon-neutral by 2015, what additional question. High Speed 2 will report to the Government resources can the Government make available to local by the end of this year. We have said to the Scottish councils to ensure a reduction in carbon emissions and Government that the High Speed 2 company would be congestion resulting from airport traffic? happy to meet them at any point, and we have also recommended that they have a representative on the Paul Clark: The hon. Gentleman will be aware that relevant reference group. We believe in investment, in the Department for Transport’s overriding goals are to these challenging times, but we also recognise the benefits deal with congestion and with climate change. We have of a proposed route that goes all the way to Scotland, imposed strict rules in relation to climate change, and rather than stopping in Manchester, as some people they are monitored independently. The work that needs have proposed. to be done at local level to ensure joined-up thinking on business and housing development and on transport Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con): Is the Minister requirements is part of the regional funding allocations aware of the sardine express? It is the Arriva Trains process. We have more than doubled the money that is Wales service that goes from Wales to Shropshire, then going into local transport provision. on to other parts of the United Kingdom. My concern is that people are being crushed into its carriages, Mr. Adrian Sanders (Torbay) (LD): The Minister because there are often only two carriages when four are ought also to consider the road network to the west required to meet the demand on the line. If there were a of Exeter, as well as the way in which Exeter airport sudden halt or accident, far more people would be 921 Oral Answers25 JUNE 2009 Oral Answers 922 injured or, possibly, killed as a result of that congestion asked them what they wanted. The issues my hon. in the carriages. Will the Minister undertake to meet Friend has just raised were the same issues that they representatives of Arriva Trains Wales and get an raised: they wanted less crowding and they wanted to undertaking from them that they will take action to feel safer on the stations, and that has an impact on deal with this, as it has been going on for far too long? both staff and passengers. In awarding this most recent franchise, we took on board some of the passengers’ Mr. Speaker: Unfortunately, the question went on for wishes. I will ensure that we continue to speak not just rather too long as well; questions must be briefer. to Members of Parliament, but to communities, so that when we award franchises, we can take into account the Mr. Khan: The one thing I do not apologise for is important points that my hon. Friend has raised. longer trains; we need them. The hon. Gentleman raised an important point about the quality of service that Richard Ottaway (Croydon, South) (Con): The Minister passengers receive, which is not good enough on some will be well aware of the slight downward trend in trains. I am happy to arrange the meeting he mentioned transport crime, so will he acknowledge that the Mayor and it would be good if he were present so that he could of London’s ban on alcohol on the London underground express and articulate the concerns that his constituents was a contributory factor? Will the Minister also consider have put to him. that as the recession starts to bite and unemployment starts to rise, that trend may well be reversed? Mr. Eric Martlew (Carlisle) (Lab): You, Mr. Speaker, will be aware that there is no greater enthusiast for the Mr. Khan: It pains me to do so, but I congratulate the high-speed line than myself. As the line passes through Mayor of London on the alcohol ban. We supported my Carlisle constituency on the way to Scotland, will him in doing that and helped with the necessary byelaws the funding be a Scottish or a UK responsibility? The to make it work. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that line starts in London and in Glasgow and meets somewhere crime has gone down not just on the railways, but on in the middle. the tube system as well, largely as a result of the investment in more British Transport police and more Mr. Khan: I thank my hon. Friend for his really police and community support officers on the tube as helpful question. He will be aware that the Department well. The danger is, of course, that with some parties for Transport is responsible for cross-border franchise recommending cuts, that could mean cutting those police train services, and that we work closely with the Welsh and PCSOs, which I think would have the impact of Assembly and the Scottish Executive. The important making crime go up again. thing is to ensure that the quality of service that passengers receive is the right one. It is also important to have proper communications between Members on both sides Mrs. Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op): of the border. There are examples of good practice, but What support can my right hon. Friend offer to the also, I am afraid, of bad practice, but I will endeavour British Transport police in its work on protecting passengers to ensure that we learn the lessons so that the quality of in normal times as well as in its counter-terrorism work? service that passengers receive is seamless. Mr. Khan: In my new role, I am looking forward to Violence Against Public Transport Staff working with my hon. Friend in her Select Committee role. She raises a very important issue. As we know, 3. John Robertson (Glasgow, North-West) (Lab): there are record numbers working for the British Transport What representations he has received on reducing levels police and more than 3,000 community support officers.