Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Alicia Kearns Excerpts
Tuesday 28th April 2026

(1 day, 12 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Murray Portrait James Murray
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My hon. Friend is right to make it clear that improving services for passengers is our absolute priority as rail operations come into public ownership. When Southern rail is brought into public ownership, it will be expected to focus relentlessly on improving passenger experience, reliability and punctuality, and it will be held to account for doing so.

Alicia Kearns Portrait Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Stamford) (Con)
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In rural areas like Rutland and Stamford, we are reliant on our cars, so fuel costs are hitting us hard. I have a simple ask that the Chancellor could deliver on now: will she expand the 5p per litre rural fuel duty relief to more areas as soon as possible, particularly Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire, where it is desperately needed?

James Murray Portrait James Murray
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As my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary has already set out many times today on fuel duty, we inherited plans from the previous Government that would have seen fuel costs go up for people across the country. We have extended the 5p cut on fuel duty and extended the freeze, which is an important way of helping people with the cost of living right now.