Extract from Housing, Communities and Local Government questions (Commons) - Mar 12

Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): If the Government are serious about the northern powerhouse and improving connectivity between communities in the north, does the northern powerhouse Minister think Transpennine’s plans to lengthen journeys from Hull across the Pennines, and not turning up to a meeting with the city’s MPs and business leaders last week to discuss this, will help to deliver his plans for the northern powerhouse? 

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Jake Berry): It is extremely disappointing if Transpennine did not turn up to a meeting with Members of Parliament from the city of Hull. I hope that the hon. Lady will be encouraged, however, that we are investing £13 billion—more money than any Government in history—in our northern transport infrastructure, and we have also set up Transport for the North, a subnational statutory transport body, which is currently consulting on a 30-year plan to improve transport across the north of England. That is how to deliver a northern powerhouse.