Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Grayling and Martin Whitfield

Thursday 21st March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I am aware of the issue; my hon. Friend has raised it with me. I simply say to him that I have asked for this matter to be looked at carefully. I do not want improvement works to be done at the disadvantage of his constituents.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

Which is the greatest danger to the Secretary of State’s Department—no deal, or no Brexit?

[Chris Grayling]

My Department will prepare for all eventualities and we are doing so.

Seaborne Freight

Debate between Chris Grayling and Martin Whitfield

Monday 11th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I can only think that Opposition Members have not been listening to a word I have said. I said at the start that we knew that they had not got the arrangements in place. That is why we put in place a tight contractual structure that involved no financial commitment from the taxpayer until they had got those things sorted out.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

We have heard today that there was no legal contractual agreement between Arklow Shipping and Seaborne. The Secretary of State has confirmed that the reason for pulling out of this contract was the announcement on Friday. If that is the case—if he only knew about it on Friday—then how can the DFT spokesperson be correct that he is in advanced discussions with other shipping companies?

[Chris Grayling]

Precisely because, as I said, we already had secured options that would enable us to provide alternatives.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Grayling and Martin Whitfield

Thursday 24th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I want to reiterate that this is an absolutely crucial project for our railways. Network Rail is currently doing preparatory work for the very necessary improvements at Dawlish. I have given an absolute commitment that those works will go ahead. I regard this project, to make sure a proper resilient railway for the future is delivered to the south-west, as the most important infrastructure project in the country. It is one thing having a railway that is not quite up to date; it is quite another having a railway that gets cut off. We will not let that happen.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

The east coast main line will be very important following our departure from Europe. Will the Secretary of State guarantee that smaller operators, such as ScotRail, have a say in what happens to rail?

[Chris Grayling]

It is really important that we protect the interests of passenger and freight operators. I have been clear that the new board leading the integration and development of the London North Eastern Railway will have representatives whose job is to protect the interests of smaller operators.

East Coast Main Line

Debate between Chris Grayling and Martin Whitfield

Wednesday 16th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

That is right. I cannot understand why the Labour party is so fixated on recreating British Rail just at the time when our friends in France are going to step away from that model and actually move closer to where we are. That is Emmanuel Macron’s vision to create a better railway. The Labour party seems to want to go in exactly the opposite direction and to return to a situation that the French say is not working for them.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State mentioned that independent members “will ensure the interests of other operators on the route are taken into account.” Will this include First ScotRail, which operates the local service—it is itself operating at capacity and facing its own crises—on the east coast main line in my constituency of East Lothian?

[Chris Grayling]

We have to make sure that the new organisation—I have talked about this with the rail regulator, which has been involved since the start of developing this concept—has a duty to make sure both that space is available for other operators and that, in relation to the support and the service provided, there is no discrimination against other operators, such as regarding whether the signals work and so forth. This has to be structured in a way that protects such operators, whether in the case of First ScotRail in the north, or other operators in the midlands and the south.