High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill

I am delighted that my right hon. Friend wants to give way to me. Given that some of us approve o...

Scrutiny is one thing that the Bill has not been short of since it was published. The Select Comm...

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way to me a second time. He said earlier that he would ...

I think I did so a short time ago, but the simple fact is that Coventry will have the potential t...

I am following my right hon. Friend’s arguments closely. Can he put a date on bringing forward th...

We are investing in the new intercity express programme, or IEP, trains, which is a massive upgra...

Nearly all those who support the scheme are pleased that the route in the Bill, which the Secreta...

I do not want to pre-empt the review of the Davies commission, which is doing excellent work, but...

rose—

Who said, “Me first”?

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way. Is it not true that some 240,000 dwellings lie wit...

I do not accept what my hon. Friend says, which was not reflected in the experience of building H...

My right hon. Friend’s written statement mentions the express purchase, which is

“being lau...

I will come on to compensation in a little while, but I am slightly constrained in what I can say...

I am glad that the Secretary of State wants to keep an open mind about getting the final designs ...

I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman, and indeed Birmingham city council, is very supportive o...

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his comment about luddites and nimbys, terms that were ...

I understand the particular concerns that have been put to me by many Members, including my right...

rose—

I am slightly concerned about the amount of time I am taking, but I will give way to the right ho...

King’s Cross and St Pancras are both in my constituency. They had the support of the local counci...

I am not sure what point the right hon. Gentleman is trying to make. If we only built infrastruct...

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for acknowledging that some parts of the country will tak...

Of the 20.8 km of the route that passes through the Chilterns, only 3.3 km will be on the surface...

My constituency is not directly affected but my constituents have concerns about this, which have...

I cannot think of an infrastructure project that has had more reports on it than this one. I set ...

I declare my interest as a commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The commission...

Yes. I give the hon. Gentleman that assurance on a matter that was raised with me privately by an...

I begin by congratulating the Secretary of State on bringing the Bill before us, and I would like...

On that very point, will the hon. Lady give way?

Yes.

Does she share just a teensy-weensy bit of my unease that where there is a love-in and a cross-pa...

Well, I do not share anything teensy-weensy or of any other size relating to the hon. Gentleman—[...

My hon. Friend says that the project will link the cities and regions of our country. Does she in...

I certainly do. The full Y line will terminate 14 miles south of York so that the classic compati...

Given the urge for more speed in the Higgins report, what comfort can my hon. Friend give to the ...

It is too early to write the railway timetable for 2026, but when phase 1 of the line is open peo...

In my constituency! Perhaps they should pay a toll.

We will not be paying any tolls to go through Lichfield. Journey times to London will be signific...

What has changed between last autumn and today to move the Labour party from thinking that HS2 of...

David Higgins and Simon Kirby, the former Network Rail chief engineer, have been appointed to the...

Does the hon. Lady accept that in addition to improving journey times for people living in Warwic...

Absolutely. It will also be a key issue for my right hon. and hon. Friends from Coventry, because...

Can the shadow Secretary of State confirm that the Opposition’s support for HS2 is still continge...

We will have to see what the Committee delivers as the Bill goes through the Committee process. T...

Is the shadow Minister aware that we need 20 paths to take care of increased freight over the nex...

Yes, absolutely. Freight has been a Cinderella subject; the focus tends to be on passengers, and ...

The hon. Lady said that we need to mitigate the worst effects of the railway. Does she accept tha...

I will come to the environmental part of my speech in a moment. I would say to the hon. Lady, as ...

The hon. Lady mentioned the journey time to Curzon Street, but I am sure she is aware that the jo...

That is a very important point. The impact on western Coventry and Birmingham international airpo...

My hon. Friend and I have been parliamentary neighbours and friends for a long time, so I say in ...

I missed that last bit about this morning, but the report we have had and the Treasury analysis s...

In view of the fact that the French, the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and many other natio...

The benefits of increased connectivity for north Wales cannot be overstated, given the potential ...

The Labour Government in Wales changed their position on calling for equivalent Barnett consequen...

I understand that the pressing issue in south Wales in particular at the moment is the electrific...

To take the hon. Lady back a few moments, has she actually seen the major projects report on risk...

No. I am not a Government Minister, so I have not seen it. The hon. Lady will have to ask her col...

Should it be vetoed?

That is a decision for the Government and they have taken it. Perhaps the hon. Lady should have p...

My hon. Friend rightly says that the Opposition will be looking at the costs. If they keep rising...

We have been very clear that there is not a blank cheque for this project. The Select Committee w...

Is the hon. Lady at all worried that the business case says that load factors on the west coast m...

The right hon. Gentleman refers to a part of the report that does not immediately spring to mind—...

As a Yorkshire MP who is now behind the project at full throttle, will the hon. Lady commit herse...

Absolutely. It is right for Wakefield council to represent the views of local residents. The cost...

I entirely support the case that my hon. Friend is making. Would she like to remind sceptics like...

That was an excellent point, well made. My right hon. Friend has triggered my memory. There has b...

I welcome what my hon. Friend has said. Will she bear it in mind that the investment in the Franc...

Perhaps I will break the consensus now. My right hon. Friend’s constituents will benefit from the...

The hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Robert Flello) and I have formed the new all-party parl...

Tempting though it is to offer up my words of complete ignorance on the best way to build a railw...

The hon. Lady just referred to the benefits for the midlands. Will she explain what benefits ther...

There will be more frequent train services, not just to London but to the major cities of

<...

My hon. Friend spoke about flights from Manchester airport to London. At the moment, taking a tra...

I knew exactly how long that journey took, because I looked at train times during my hon. Friend’...

The carbon benefits that the hon. Lady is talking about will happen only if HS2 is responsible fo...

As our country grows and as people travel more, there will be new journeys. One hundred and fifty...

Given that 80% of the London to Paris travel market is by train not plane, does the hon. Lady agr...

Absolutely; people have a tendency to work it out all by themselves. Particularly in this era of ...

I will support the Government tonight in the Lobby. The hon. Lady talks about the north and Londo...

Absolutely. [Interruption.] I pay tribute to the Network Rail staff whom I visited out by Reading...

Order. I hesitate to interrupt the hon. Lady, but there is a low level of conversation going on a...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor Vi...

rose—

I will conclude my remarks, because I know that other Members want to speak.

High-speed rai...

I beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “That” to the end of the Question and add:

“t...

rose—

I am sorry; I do not have enough time to give way.

Economists claim that the benefits of HS...

Will the right hon. Lady give way?

I am awfully sorry, but if I give way to the right hon. Gentleman I will have to give way to othe...

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

I am sorry.

People blighted by HS2 will not only be negatively affected by the line itself,...

I welcome the Bill to start the building of the high-speed line from London to the west midlands....

I am grateful to the hon. Lady. As over this weekend the marketing materials for the current rail...

One of my concerns is that if the new line is not built, the problems of capacity will lead to wh...

Will the hon. Lady give way?

I am sorry; I am limited in time to allow other hon. Members to participate.

Further recomm...

rose—

Order. The House will be aware that a very large number of colleagues wish to speak—over 50 Membe...

I support the Bill and high-speed rail. Having spent a considerable amount of time taking the ear...

In the ridiculously short time available, I will have to confine my remarks to the impact on my c...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I do not think I should.

If the Government insist on Euston, local people want the new ...

Five years ago, I would have thought it incredible that I would probably be in the same Lobby as ...

I have three points to make on this important Bill: one about the economic analysis, one about th...

My hon. Friend is probably aware that there is a KPMG report that says Stoke-on-Trent will lose t...

It is a relative figure from a general uplift.

We should look at the experience of countrie...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

No, as I have given way once and many Members want to speak in this debate.

There are peopl...

It is a refreshing change to speak in a debate on a Bill that has overall cross-party support. My...

I want to compare the relative wealth of the home counties, including Buckinghamshire—with Chesha...

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that one of the biggest problems of capacity relates to the f...

I accept that. I came into the House a long time ago, when the line to Manchester and Liverpool w...

When the House last considered this matter, I abstained because there were too many unanswered qu...

I am a strong supporter of HS2. It is a great relief to me that this country has seemingly, at lo...

I rise to speak in support of this Bill. It is no secret that I support the Government on the iss...

I draw the House’s attention to my interests in freight transport issues.

A number of quest...

Order.

7.18 pm

Although I do not agree with those who believe that HS2 will provide the benefits claimed, I acce...

First, I, too, welcome the way in which the Secretary of State has handled the issue by not accus...

The hon. Lady should come to my constituency. If she missed a

That is exactly what people are asking all over the country: why is £50 billion going on this par...

My constituency gets both the pain and the gain, because in having the first station outside Lond...

I want to add my voice to those here tonight who support High Speed 2. I was a strong supporter o...

I am not against high-speed rail. In fact, I have been a strong advocate, in particular with rega...

High-speed rail is of course supported by the Scottish Government and the SNP supports it in this...

I have absolute respect for colleagues across the House who have come here today to stand up and ...

I share the concern that some Members have expressed about the lack of time. For those who would ...

Order.

7.59 pm

I have been an MP for four years, and this is the fourth debate on HS2 in which I have participat...

It is not.

I have a sense of déjà vu. My hon. Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridge...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Warrington South (David Mowat), and my speech will...

Order.

8.9 pm

First, I wish to apologise for not being present for the early part of the debate: I was on a Sel...

As we discuss the Bill, my primary concern is the negative economic impact that HS2 will have on ...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that Wales needs a powerful voice to make a real impact on the Depa...

That is an extremely valid intervention. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for making that poin...

The managing directors of Boxford, Crosslee, BCA Leisure, Heights, Decorative Panels and Calrec r...

I thank my hon. Friend and near neighbour for giving way. I have many times got on board a Grand ...

My hon. Friend is correct in one respect but incorrect in another: we are not near neighbours but...

I rise to speak in support of the reasoned amendment and to oppose the Second Reading of this Bil...

The hon. Lady is saying that people in her constituency would have to do this by tomorrow. The Bi...

I am saying that the people who are affected will be given an incredibly narrow window between to...

I am against the proposal locally, nationally, economically and politically. I support the reason...

I support the Bill and believe that High Speed 2 will be vital in improving connections between t...

I congratulate the hon. Member for West Ham (Lyn Brown) on her very forceful speech. I am sure th...

It is a delight to follow the impassioned pleas of the hon. Member for Northampton South (Mr Binl...

Plus ça change.

Thank you, Mary. It is ironic that part of HS2 will go along the pathway that Edward Watkin built...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East (Mike Kane). Perhaps, fo...

Does my hon. Friend agree that the point that he is making applies equally to Shrewsbury, which h...

I agree absolutely with the Minister.

To be fair, the amendment recognises the need for ext...

As the Secretary of State reminded the House when I intervened on him earlier, I started off pass...

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman), especially when ...

I am one of the few Members who has both a high-speed line and a high-speed station in my constit...

I will concede that if we chuck £50 billion of taxpayers’ money at anything, some of it will stic...

I welcome the Bill, as I welcomed Lord Adonis’s announcement some years ago that first proposed t...

I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight some of my concerns over HS2. There are a number o...

On expense, does my hon. Friend agree that at a time when we are struggling with the deficit and ...

My hon. Friend makes that point very clearly, and I agree with him.

The Great Central Railw...

Speaking as an MP from the west country, I would say that it will benefit us because it will give...

The Liberals always believe in spending money rather than putting it in the right pockets, which ...

Everything about my background, and recent history in Parliament in particular, suggests I should...

Does it also not send out a poor signal internationally that it is taking us so long to decide wh...

I agree. I just wish we had some certainty and that certain politicians kept to their word. Who s...

My hon. Friend mentions clause 50, but clause 47 allows the Secretary of State, willy-nilly, to t...

My constituents do not know the route, do not know what land is threatened and do not know what c...

I am delighted, Madam Deputy Speaker, to catch your eye in this debate. Many Members wish to spea...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way and for coming well behind me to defend the Chilte...

My right hon. Friend is entirely right, and she has been basing her case on that. The advantage o...

Infrastructure projects in the UK appear to follow a pattern, as I have experienced with our tram...

Like my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (David Mowat), I have taken part in a number ...

I am well aware that many cities are bidding, and I just mentioned a few. I am very sorry to have...

Apology accepted.

I might be biased, but Leeds is an outstanding city. It is a major UK bus...

Since I last spoke on HS2, the project continues to be a source of considerable controversy, as w...

This debate is hugely important to the country, but the proposals put forward by the Government a...

It is a great privilege to follow that extremely powerful speech from my hon. Friend the Member f...

We have heard some very good speeches, some of which have been made with a great deal of passion ...

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I understand that some colleagues who live some way ou...

The right hon. Lady makes her point very well, but she and the House will know that that is not a...

My speech is just like one of the train journeys from Market Rasen to London—it is a bit of a sto...

Mine is another voice from Lincolnshire, but I will give a slightly different emphasis to proceed...

Order. Just one second. There are a lot of private conversations, and I am struggling to hear. Li...

The Prime Minister has made it clear that he wants the Humber estuary to become the renewables ca...

Does my hon. Friend agree that if by any chance it was not possible for such a college to be in n...

Well, of course, anything that happens in Yorkshire is second best to what happens in Lincolnshir...

Is not another point for our constituents, who do not enjoy very direct rail services to London, ...

I entirely agree. Along with the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin), we have battled for bett...

As a Yorkshire MP, I am worried about HS2, but not for the same reasons that Mr Speaker or some o...

Order. I call Neil Carmichael.

10.14 pm

This has been a great debate, but it is a debate about economics, rather than transport, and that...

rose—

Order. Before I call the next speaker may I suggest that we drop the time limit to four minutes s...

May I make it clear that I am willing to support the Government on this HS2 proposal although I h...

In my short contribution, I will try not to repeat what has been said about the shortcomings of t...

Does my hon. Friend agree that the strength of the arguments he is making comes from the fact tha...

I do not have a direct relationship with HS2, but I am of the opinion that I have been elected to...

I think I can speak on behalf of all colleagues who have contributed this evening when I say that...

Order. Just to help the hon. Lady, we are discussing High Speed 2. I know there must be a link to...

Yes, this is really about Old Oak Common and moving the depot down to Cornwall, and I would like ...

I hope that in this debate about high-speed rail the Front-Bench team will not mind my talking ab...

Does my hon. Friend agree that east Kent has seen real economic benefits—that wages have been ris...

Yes I certainly do agree, and I think that is because of those improved journey times, including ...

My hon. Friend is making a very good point. He is also making the same point that Sir Albert Bore...

I agree with the Secretary of State. I would add, however, that further benefits to these norther...

Is the hon. Gentleman further reassured by the fact that this project is led by Sir David Higgins...

Yes, I am reassured. I consider there to be a degree of pessimism bias in this case; £700 million...

I am happy to have the opportunity to contribute in this debate, because I welcome the Government...

When the previous Government launched this project four years ago, the noble Lord Adonis said tha...

I thank the hon. Lady for giving way. She quotes the noble Lord Adonis, but she does not quote th...

We will see who changes their mind, but I think that the case for our needing this railway has be...

The debate has highlighted not only the need for HS2 but the importance of getting it right. This...

Order. Conversations are going on on both sides of the House. I want to hear the Minister, as I a...

Later this year, we will launch an enhanced need-to-sell scheme to help owner-occupiers who need ...