Thursday Volume 577 20 March 2014 No. 140 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 20 March 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 891 20 MARCH 2014 892 Mr McLoughlin: Scotland will get its share according House of Commons to the Barnett formula as part of the announcement made by the Chancellor yesterday. It will be up to the Thursday 20 March 2014 Scottish Government to decide how they share the money between the authorities in Scotland. The House met at half-past Nine o’clock Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con): Does my right hon. Friend accept that the A12 through Essex and into Suffolk and Norfolk is a main road to the ports at PRAYERS Felixstowe and elsewhere? Given that a significant proportion of it from the M25 to Chelmsford is already three-lane, would it not be sensible to relieve congestion [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] into the East Anglian hinterland by turning it into a motorway? Mr McLoughlin: My right hon. Friend makes an Oral Answers to Questions interesting suggestion. No doubt he will pursue that argument with me and the authorities on a number of occasions to come. TRANSPORT Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab): What is the Secretary of State doing about the congestion at The Secretary of State was asked— Tollbar End, which is affecting businesses, particularly those in the export market, and people getting to work? Road Congestion I contacted his Department last week but I still have not had an answer. 1. Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con): What steps he is taking to relieve congestion on roads. [903163] Mr McLoughlin: I am very sorry that the hon. Gentleman has not had an answer. I could compare the time delays The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Patrick in reply to correspondence under this and the previous McLoughlin): The Government are committed to reducing Government, but instead I will try to get the hon. traffic congestion and investing in our road infrastructure. Gentleman an answer as quickly as possible. We are Spending on strategic roads over this and the next investing significant amounts in road infrastructure, Parliament will be £24 billion. A £500 million programme more than that invested by the previous Government. of pinch point schemes specifically targeted at tackling That shows this Government’s overall commitment to congestion is being progressed on both the strategic and infrastructure investment in the United Kingdom. local road network and a further £800 million is being invested in 25 local authority major road schemes. I am Stephen Lloyd (Eastbourne) (LD): One of the worst sure my hon. Friend will also join me in welcoming the sections of road for congestion is the A27 from Eastbourne additional £200 million that my right hon. Friend the to Lewes. It has been appalling for many decades and I Chancellor announced in yesterday’s Budget for pothole know that it is being considered by the Department for repairs. Transport. Does the Secretary of State agree that the best way to solve the congestion would be a new dualled Peter Aldous: I am grateful to the Secretary of State trunk road? for that answer. The Prime Minister visited Lowestoft in January and saw for himself the fantastic opportunities Mr McLoughlin: I know that the hon. Gentleman has in the offshore energy sector. Unfortunately, they could met the Minister responsible for roads, my hon. Friend be choked off by congestion such as that experienced in the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr Goodwill), the past fortnight. The problem could be solved by a to make that point, which has been made to me, too, by new crossing at Lake Lothing. Suffolk county council, other people in Eastbourne. However, there is some with the help of the local enterprise partnership and controversy, not least because the hon. Member for Waveney district council, has commissioned a study to Lewes (Norman Baker) has a different view on the come up with the right solution. Will the Secretary of matter. State visit Lowestoft to see the problem for himself? Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield) (Lab): Traffic Mr McLoughlin: It has been a considerable time since jams cost UK motorists 30 hours each last year and I last visited Lowestoft, but following my hon. Friend’s were often made worse by a £10 billion backlog in the invitation I shall certainly do so. Ministerial colleagues, road repair programme. As local road maintenance including the Prime Minister, have visited. My hon. was cut by nearly a sixth between 2010 and 2013, is the Friend’s points are well made, and they have been made Secretary of State surprised that the Chancellor’s to me by other colleagues. announcement yesterday of a pothole challenge competition hardly has many motorists shouting “bingo” today? Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab): Congestion would be much improved if the potholes in Mr McLoughlin: I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman the roads were removed. Although I welcome the money makes such a point, because I do not know whether he that was made available yesterday, how will it be distributed? can get the shadow Chancellor to commit to investments How much of it is coming to Scotland? such as those we are putting into this country’s road 893 Oral Answers20 MARCH 2014 Oral Answers 894 infrastructure. As I understand it, he is not allowed to Mr Brown: There is quite a lot to discuss—for example, make any commitments whatsoever. I am very glad not quality contracts—but of immediate concern is the only that the Chancellor yesterday announced an extra impact of the new combined authorities on the existing £200 million to invest in our roads but that later today I joint boards. Can the Secretary of State say anything will announce the allocation of the £140 million that today that would reassure the employees of the existing I announced a few weeks ago to all local authorities. I joint boards, who are uncertain about their future? hope that they will use the £140 million along with the £200 million announced yesterday to make significant Mr McLoughlin: The proposals for the combined improvements to our roads. authorities would see the passenger transport executives continuing to provide an executive function on transport Durham Tees Valley Airport issues across the board. The exception to that is west Yorkshire, where the local authorities have decided to 2. Ian Swales (Redcar) (LD): What assessment he has dissolve their PTEs in addition to the integrated transport made of the adequacy of public transport links to authority. The powers and duties of the PTE will be Durham Tees Valley airport. [903164] transferred to the new combined authority. I am more than happy to meet the right hon. Gentleman to discuss The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport his worries. (Mr Robert Goodwill): My assessment is that public transport links to Durham Tees Valley airport are very Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con): The next time my poor. However, we stated in the aviation policy framework right hon. Friend meets PTEG, will he invite representations that we will work with airports, transport operators, on the progress of the Dover Priory railway station local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to project, which is being held up by HMRC? improve surface access to the UK’s airports. Mr McLoughlin: If my hon. Friend had not asked Ian Swales: In the year to last March, the station at that question, I do not think that I would have done, Durham Tees Valley airport had eight passengers—not but as he has, I will certainly look into it and write to per hour or per day, but in the whole year. Only one him. service a week stops there, cynically avoiding the costs of a real closure. This is a symbol of the long-term Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) neglect of the area and its airport. Will the Minister (Lab): When the Secretary of State next meets require the airport operators to link their passenger representatives from PTEG, they will no doubt tell him terminal to proper public transport services, timed to that bus fares are rising year on year and that routes are serve their flights? being cut. Should not operators such as Stagecoach, which make a huge profit off the back of the taxpayer Mr Goodwill: I know that this is what is known as a subsidy, start behaving more responsibly, rather than parliamentary service, which does save the cost of closure, threatening legal action at the prospect of a quality but given that the passenger numbers were 900,000 in contract in Tyne and Wear? 2006 and 161,092 in 2013, action on more than just public transport links will be required to ensure the Mr McLoughlin: We want to see good co-operation airport’s future. between the passenger transport executives, the combined local authorities and the bus operators that provide the Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab): The Minister services in their area. They need to work together to will know that the Tees Valley metro was seen as a key give the best services to local people. Bus services are component in establishing better links to the airport. incredibly important to people and are vital in enabling That concept appears to have slipped somewhat. Will them to go about their daily business and to get to work he meet me to discuss the viability of the Tees Valley and to their leisure activities.