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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 01 Dec 2025
Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Paths

"My Lords, while the Minister is on this subject, can he update the House on what action has been taken against cyclists who dangerously ride their bikes around the country, often causing damage to the general public?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Paths
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 20 Nov 2025
South Western Railway

"My Lords, does the Minister agree that this is a failure not of nationalisation but of privatisation, and that we have had 13 years of wrecking the train service, like everything else? Is it not the case that we are clearing up the mess left by the previous Administration?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: South Western Railway
Written Question
Aviation: Fees and Charges
Thursday 26th June 2025

Asked by: Lord Watts (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ask the Civil Aviation Authority to review whether charges at airports and on flights, such as excess baggage fees, are fair.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The CAA is independently responsible for regulating airport charges within the overall legislative framework for economic regulation set out in the Civil Aviation Act 2012. Regulation is based on an assessment of an airport’s market power with the purpose of protecting the consumer. Currently two airports meet this market power test - Heathrow and Gatwick - with regulatory arrangements in place for both.

The CAA does not hold statutory competition functions in relation to airline markets: these are held by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 15 Nov 2022
Swing Bridges

"My Lords, the Minister said that the Government have a fund to encourage traffic off roads and on to water. How much is that fund, and how much has been spent?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Swing Bridges
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Nov 2022
HS2: Wales

"My Lords, is it not the case that the taxpayer is being ripped off by contractors because there is a lack of oversight of this scheme? What are the Government going to do to bring it back into budget?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: HS2: Wales
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 30 Jun 2022
Airports: Delays

"My Lords, is the Minister aware of the increasing use of fast track by airports, which demands a fee to get through the airport in a reasonable time? Does she not agree that the airports have a duty to do that for every passenger, not just for those who pay …..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Airports: Delays
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Mar 2022
Bus Improvement Plans

"My Lords, noble Lords have asked about how the Government are to allocate resources to the different regions. Given that this seems to be done in some mysterious way that bears no resemblance to need or the levelling-up agenda, can the Minister say exactly how allocations will be made under …..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Bus Improvement Plans
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 01 Mar 2022
Bus Services: Covid-19 Emergency Funding

"I am not sure of the latest figures, but it used to be that something like 70% of the funding for buses came from the public purse. Is it not time that we regulated the buses again to make sure that the taxpayer gets value for money?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Bus Services: Covid-19 Emergency Funding
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 26 Jan 2022
Electric Vehicle Charge Points

"How difficult would it be to adapt street lights to be charging points?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Electric Vehicle Charge Points
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 07 Jan 2020
Hammersmith Bridge

"My Lords, the Prime Minister was in charge of this area of responsibility when he was Mayor of London. How much did he put aside for the repair of this bridge?..."
Lord Watts - View Speech

View all Lord Watts (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Hammersmith Bridge