I am very happy to try to respond to that point. We have made a firm commitment that high-speed rail will start immediately after the next election if we are in the lucky position to be in government or, indeed, part of the Government, which may be a possibility. That is not a 2015 plan; it is not a 2027 plan; it starts right away. We have also said how we will pay for it—partly by a £30 per person surcharge on domestic flights, other than lifeline flights to the highlands and islands, for example, and that money will go towards the construction of a high-speed rail network. We are deadly serious about that, and we are determined that the benefits of high-speed rail are not simply for the west midlands but will benefit the whole country.
Heathrow (Third Runway)
Proceeding contribution from
Norman Baker
(Liberal Democrat)
in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 28 January 2009.
It occurred during Opposition day on Heathrow (Third Runway).
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
487 c325 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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2024-04-16 21:07:51 +0100
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