Thursday Volume 612 30 June 2016 No. 18 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 30 June 2016 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2016 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 445 30 JUNE 2016 446 Claire Perry: I can reassure the hon. Gentleman—it House of Commons is a pleasure to see him on the Front Bench this morning. Those operators may have ownership structures involving Thursday 30 June 2016 foreign entities, as do many British companies, but any operator in the UK is a UK-based company, employing The House met at half-past Nine o’clock UK staff and headquartered in the UK, continuing to invest in a very successful rail and bus programme right across the country. PRAYERS Daniel Zeichner: I am not sure the House will be [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] entirely reassured by that. We have talked already about the Bus Services Bill. Will the Minister take this opportunity BATTLE OF THE SOMME to withdraw the punitive clause 21, which will stop local councils creating successful municipal bus companies? 9.35 am What have the Secretary of State and others on the The House observed a minute’s silence. Government Front Bench got against British success stories such as Reading and Nottingham, which do so Mr Speaker: Colleagues, thank you for that display of well? respect. Claire Perry: We believe in parliamentary democracy in this country. As the hon. Gentleman knows, the Bill Oral Answers to Questions is in Committee in the Lords, and we will all have an opportunity to debate those points when it comes to our Chamber shortly. TRANSPORT Emergency Towing Vessels: Scotland The Secretary of State was asked— Public Transport: Affordability 2. Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD): What recent discussions he has had on the future 1. Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab): of emergency towing vessels in Scotland; and if he will What recent assessment he has made of the effect of make a statement. [905569] trends in the cost of public transport on the affordability of those services. [905568] The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Mr Robert Goodwill): I discussed emergency towing The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport capability in Scotland with the right hon. Gentleman on (Claire Perry): Rail fares rose by 0.7% last year thanks 9 June, and we had an informal chat this week on that to this Government’s fares cap, meaning that rail fares subject. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has rose by less than earnings for the first time since 2003. consulted all interested parties about options for future Outside London, deregulated bus fares rose by 1.8% provision beyond September 2016. I expect to make an last year, with the Government continuing to spend announcement very soon. more than £1.2 billion a year through the bus service operators grant and concessionary fares to help keep Mr Carmichael: We look forward to hearing the fares affordable. Minister’s announcement. The last stakeholders’ group Liz McInnes: With a quarter of unemployed 18 to meeting convened by the MCA received a risk assessment 24-year-olds finding that the cost of a bus fare is a —a proper, substantial piece of work commissioned barrier to getting a job, what steps does the Minister from the private sector—that made it clear that removing intend to take to ensure that young people have access the tug would pose an unacceptable risk for the coastal to work and training? and island communities of Scotland. When the Minister makes his decision, will he make sure that that risk Claire Perry: There are already concessionary fares assessment is on his desk and at the heart of his targeted exactly at that group. On the rail network too, considerations? there are now specific discount fares for jobseekers. Often this is a matter for local authorities to work on Mr Goodwill: I absolutely reassure the House that I with their bus operators. The Bus Services Bill currently understand the importance of maritime safety in those in Committee gives local authorities additional powers northern waters, from the point of view not only of through a franchising mechanism, should they choose pollution—we all know how difficult a major oil pollution to use it. incident can be—but of our seafarers at risk on the waters. Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab): After many years of Conservative deregulation and privatisation, we find that many of our bus and rail operators are now Workplace Parking Levy: Nottingham owned by European companies, and some by European Governments indeed. Given that we are not exactly 3. Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North) (Lab): flavour of the month in Europe, and that we already What discussions he has had with Nottingham City know that British passengers are subsidising other countries, Council on the use of income from the workplace what can the Minister say reassure us that we will not parking levy for transport projects in Nottingham; and see our fares going up as a consequence? if he will make a statement. [905570] 447 Oral Answers30 JUNE 2016 Oral Answers 448 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Mr McLoughlin: I am pleased to be travelling on one (Andrew Jones): Ministers have had no discussions with of the new intercity express programme trains later representatives of Nottingham City Council on the use today to mark the 150 years of the part of the railways of the income from its workplace parking levy scheme, that serves his town and his constituency. but officials from the Department have been in contact with officials from Nottingham City Council. Mr Bradshaw: City. Mr Allen: Devolving power to the city of Nottingham Mr McLoughlin: I apologise to the right hon. Gentleman. by enabling it to have a workplace parking levy has led The investment we have seen on his line, and the investment to Nottingham having the biggest fleet of electric buses we are seeing in the new IEP trains and the new AT300s, in Europe, to the redevelopment of the Nottingham rail which will serve places further into the south-west, are station and to tramlines being introduced in Nottingham, very welcome, and I am pleased that he welcomes that and those have now been extended. Will the Minister investment. come to Nottingham to see these developments and to discuss with the city council how a shortfall in EU Jo Churchill (Bury St Edmunds) (Con): Following on funding will be made good so that these things can from the question from my hon. Friend the Member for continue? Southend West (Sir David Amess), will the Secretary of State assure me that the East Anglia rail franchise Andrew Jones: I agree that this is a very buoyant announcement is imminent, as we expect, so that we in time—a positive time—for public transport in Nottingham. the east can move out of the sidings? The workplace parking levy raises between £8 million and £9 million a year, and it does indeed contribute to Mr McLoughlin: I well know the desire of all my the tram system. However, the coalition Government colleagues in East Anglia to hear about the new franchise. agreed to provide £371 million towards it, so many of I hope not to have to keep them waiting too long. the enhancements we see come from central Government. I would be delighted to go to Nottingham—they are doing a very good job there—and would happily discuss Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): The the funding arrangements. other day, an employee of Virgin Trains East Coast described the refurb of some of the old trains as “like giving granny a new dress”. Is the Secretary of State not Rolling Stock aware of the state of the rolling stock on the east coast? When is it going to get better, and how can we justify 4. Sir David Amess (Southend West) (Con): What that sort of rolling stock when we are wasting so much assessment he has made of the adequacy of the amount money on HS2? of railway rolling stock. [905571] Mr McLoughlin: What the hon. Gentleman should The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick be welcoming, as he always fails to do, is the vast McLoughlin): I am sure that my hon. Friend will join investment that we are seeing on that railway line. He is me in welcoming the introduction of an additional now complaining about the upgrading of stock in the 9,000 peak-time seats on the Essex Thameside route by interim before the new IEP trains come in. I would have January next year. By 2024, capacity will increase by a thought he would welcome that new service and also further 16,000 seats. welcome the new service into London that will eventually serve Huddersfield. Sir David Amess: As my right hon. Friend is aware, there has been some criticism from constituents about Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): The Secretary c2c train services and services on the Greater Anglia of State and I use the midland main line operated by line. Will he share with the House when he expects East Midlands Trains to get to and from our constituencies. further new rolling stock to be provided by c2c and The high-speed 125 trains on that line are rapidly when he expects the decision on the Greater Anglia approaching the end of their operating life. Will he franchise to be announced? ensure that, with the new franchise, they are replaced with new rolling stock and not recycled second-hand Mr McLoughlin: A number of improvements are rolling stock from other lines? coming to the c2c line.