Thursday Volume 697 24 June 2021 No. 23 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 24 June 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 989 24 JUNE 2021 990 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport House of Commons (Rachel Maclean): Sir Peter Hendy is carrying out the independent Union connectivity review, which will report Thursday 24 June 2021 later this year. The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Jack Brereton: Following only two days’ notice, this week East Midlands Railway has halved the train services through Stoke-on-Trent on the Crewe-Derby-Newark PRAYERS line to a train only every two hours. The usual hourly service is barely acceptable, so to reduce it further is [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] totally inadequate. Will my hon. Friend work with the Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Orders, Secretary of State to look urgently at what can be done 4 June and 30 December 2020). to restore these vital rail services and further improve local rail in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] and all along this important cross-UK east-west rail link? BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS Rachel Maclean: I thank my hon. Friend for supporting QUEEN’S SPEECH (ANSWER TO ADDRESS) those vital rail links. I know that he is doing a fantastic The VICE-CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD reported job of ensuring connectivity to his constituency; I know to the House, That Her Majesty, having been attended that he spoke to the Rail Minister about it yesterday. with its Address of 19th May, was pleased to receive the East Midlands Railway has introduced a new timetable, same very graciously and give the following Answer: but I understand that a number of challenges arose I have received with great satisfaction the dutiful and because of a different fleet, train crew issues and sickness. loyal expression of your thanks for the speech with which This has resulted in the need to swiftly implement I opened the present Session of Parliament. timetable changes, but it now needs to provide passengers with a robust and reliable service. Simon Jupp: Confidence within the aviation industry Oral Answers to Questions and among passengers is at an all-time low—it is shattered. The travel industry will take longer than most industries to get back to business and will need further support to TRANSPORT survive. Will my hon. Friend speed up the review of air passenger duty and explore extending business rates The Secretary of State was asked— relief to regional airports to help the industry weather this terrible storm? Tactile Paving: Rail Network Rachel Maclean: I absolutely commend my hon. Friend Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD): If he will take for being a continued champion for Exeter airport in his steps to install full tactile paving installation across the constituency, which provides jobs and employment for entire rail network. [901782] many of his constituents. He will know that the airport and ground operations support scheme provides eligible The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Chris commercial airports with support towards their fixed Heaton-Harris): Yes. costs. In the March Budget, the Chancellor announced Sarah Olney: Network Rail is still working to a a six-month renewal of that scheme from April. Initial timetable of installing tactile paving at all train platforms payments will be made towards the end of the summer. by 2029, some eight years away. Given that 35% of My hon. Friend mentions aviation tax reform. The platforms are seriously dangerous for blind and partially Treasury is currently reviewing responses and will update sighted people, will the Minister commit to ensuring on timing in due course. that every station has the basic safety measure of tactile paving in place by 2025? Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab): To follow on from the question asked by the hon. Member Chris Heaton-Harris: I very much hope so. I have for East Devon (Simon Jupp), regional airports play a asked Network Rail to develop a programme to install critical role in connecting our regions and our Union. platform edge tactile strips on every platform in Great This month, Stobart Air collapsed, and easyJet is to Britain as soon as possible; I have yet to receive that close its bases at Newcastle International, London Stansted programme. I will make a further announcement in the and London Southend airports; Teesside and Newquay very short term. have previously shut their doors. Without a sector-specific Cross-UK Transport Links deal, our regional airports, the connectivity that they provide and the jobs and communities that they support Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con): What are at risk. What assessment has the Department made steps his Department is taking to improve cross-UK of the long-term viability of this critical infrastructure transport links. [901726] to our nation? Simon Jupp (East Devon) (Con): What steps his Rachel Maclean: As the hon. Gentleman will know, Department is taking to improve cross-UK transport we fully recognise and support the importance of the links. [901728] aviation industry to our country. That is why this 991 Oral Answers 24 JUNE 2021 Oral Answers 992 Government have stood behind the sector and provided Andrew Stephenson: I agree with my hon. Friend that up to £7 billion, in the round, of support for jobs we must improve connectivity to all our communities in through the furlough scheme and support for airports the north—especially Chorley—and I welcome her and the airline industry. It is vital that we get the travel commitment to improving services on the Penistone industry back on its feet, which is why we are taking a line. Bids to the £4.8 billion levelling-up fund are being public health approach to restarting travel. The Transport assessed, and we expect to announce the outcome of Secretary will say more on that this evening. that competition in the autumn. North of England: Transport Connections Andy Carter: As the number of commuters travelling from Warrington gradually starts to increase again, does the Minister agree that east-west links from Warrington Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con): What steps will really benefit from investment? Could I ask my hon. his Department is taking to improve transport connections Friend to update the House on plans to extend Northern in the north of England. [901727] Powerhouse Rail from Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington Bank Quay, and does he agree with me that Miriam Cates (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Con): the £2 billion allocated for the Golborne spur could be What steps his Department is taking to improve transport better spent on helping local rail links across the north-west connections in the north of England. [901734] of England? Andy Carter (Warrington South) (Con): What steps Andrew Stephenson: The Government remain absolutely his Department is taking to improve transport connections committed to Northern Powerhouse Rail and, as ever, in the north of England. [901744] my hon. Friend makes a powerful case for Warrington. As he knows, decisions on the routes for NPR and consideration of the Golborne spur are matters for the Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con): What steps his integrated rail plan, so he will have to be patient just a Department is taking to improve transport connections little bit longer,but I can assure him that his representations in the north of England. [901747] have been heard. The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Andrew Mary Robinson [V]: Connectivity is key to levelling Stephenson): Building on the £29 billion invested in up northern communities, so I welcome the Government’s northern transport since 2010, this Government are commitment to reversing Beeching cuts and restoring delivering improved connectivity to level up the north. rail connections to towns across the region, including through the towns funding for a new railway station in Jason McCartney [V]: Does the Minister agree that Cheadle town centre. Delivering that connectivity is we need a fully integrated transport network across the about timetabling and joined-up services, as well as the north, with smart ticketing? It is not a question of rail infrastructure itself. What is the Minister doing to either/or; we need regular affordable bus services as well work with Transport for Greater Manchester and other as the HS2 eastern leg, as well as Northern Powerhouse stakeholders to ensure that an integrated service is Rail, as well as electrification of TransPennine rail and delivered and provides the regular connections that as well as, finally,upgrades to the Huddersfield-Penistone- Cheadle and other communities in the region need? Sheffield line. Andrew Stephenson: Through the Manchester recovery Andrew Stephenson: I absolutely agree with my hon. taskforce, of which Transport for Greater Manchester Friend. Better transport is central to the Government’s is a member, we are working with organisations across agenda to level up the north. The TransPennine route the rail industry to develop the service and infrastructure upgrade is already under way, our national bus strategy options that will address the congestion and reliability is being delivered and we will soon publish our integrated issues across Greater Manchester and, I hope, improve rail plan for the midlands and the north, ensuring that the experience of all rail passengers across the region. transformational rail improvements are delivered as Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab): This quickly as possible. Government have a track record of over-promising and under-delivering. We know that if the north had received Mr Speaker: It is just that we need the TransPennine the same investment as London over the last decade, it trains to go through Chorley, not Wigan.