Points of Order (Commons) on rail electrification - July 20
Friday, 21 July 2017 08:01
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab) On a point of order,
Madam Deputy Speaker. On Monday night we had the farce of the
Secretary of State for Transport being dragged to the Chamber to
face questions about HS2. Today, the last day of the Session, a
written statement has been sneaked out which is of massive economic
detriment to the country. It lays waste to any semblance of
industrial strategy; it totally conflicts with what was...Request free trial
-
(Middlesbrough)
(Lab)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. On Monday night we
had the farce of the Secretary of State for Transport being
dragged to the Chamber to face questions about HS2. Today,
the last day of the Session, a written statement has been
sneaked out which is of massive economic detriment to the
country. It lays waste to any semblance of industrial
strategy; it totally conflicts with what was said about
electrification at the Dispatch Box on Monday night; and it
smashes to bits the Government’s promises to the people of
the north and the midlands and especially to the people of
south Wales. For the Secretary of State to drop this
bombshell on the British people without affording Members the
opportunity to hold him to account by way of an oral
statement before we break for the summer is completely
disrespectful to this House. I seek your advice, Madam Deputy
Speaker, as to how the Secretary of State can be held to
account for his gross omission and explain this disastrous
U-turn.
-
Mr (Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Once
again the Secretary of State has made a major announcement
outside the Chamber on an issue that affects my constituents
in Sheffield. The electrification of the midland mainline has
been on and off for a number of years; it was on and then
paused, then it was on and now apparently it is off again. A
written statement has been sneaked out, but no statement has
been made in the House. The Secretary of State’s predecessor
always came to this House to make such statements. Can you
require the Secretary of State to come to this House to
explain what is going on with this electrification, which
once again has been put on hold?
-
(Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can we
have a statement on the impact of this decision on the
proposed electrification of the south Wales valley lines? The
statement that has been sneaked out today is appalling.
-
Madam Deputy Speaker (Mrs Eleanor Laing)
Hon. Members know that the matter of when a Minister comes to
the House is not for me, Mr Speaker or any other occupant of
the Chair. The matters that were just raised in three points
of order were raised many times during today’s business
questions and answered by the Leader of the House, who is
once again in her place. I am sure that she will have
conveyed the feelings of the House to the Secretary of State.
The hon. Gentlemen know very well the methods by which
Members can try to insist on a Secretary of State coming to
the House, and I am sure that they will pursue the matter in
that way. I can do nothing further from the Chair, but I am
certain that the Secretary of State for Transport knows the
opinion of hon. Members.
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