Speeches by Turner.

“We heard at an earlier session from Andrew Haines that GBR should be overseeing a more coherent way of planning and delivering investment in railway assets. Do you share that confidence? Are you encouraged by what you have heard from the Government so far on the design of GBR?”

“That is helpful. Thank you both for your candour.”

“Okay, thank you. Following the theme about influencing decisions made in Whitehall, including beyond the DFT, it was perhaps telling that the recent announcement on the midlands rail hub was a Treasury announcement; although I am sure there were lots of conversations between the Departments. When there are those cross-…”

“In terms of integrated settlements, we are anticipating greater autonomy for mayors and combined authorities, but with a £200 million limit on large transport project investment. What sorts of schemes can you see going ahead, with that greater autonomy, that might not have gone ahead before—perhaps thinking about regio…”

“I have one more question on this area. We are all digesting the changes that have been announced to the Treasury Green Book. I was just wondering what your view is of those changes and whether it will make it more likely that enhancements will get through the appraisals and business case stage.”

“Picking up on something you just said about the case-by-case approach, do you think in an integrated transport mode such as rail there will always be a need for national approval at some level, but that the process could be more collaborative? Am I on the right lines?”

“Picking up on Mal’s comments about whether there could be consolidation of these different processes, what would that look like in practice? Do you think that should be primarily locally led or is that perhaps a slightly artificial distinction?”

“I am sure the right hon. Lady would not want an inaccurate statement to stand on the record. Unemployment fell under just two 20th-century Governments: the first Labour Government and the 1970 Government of Ted Heath. I know that she is repeating a standard Conservative party message, but it is a really cynical and sil…”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate. I think every Member of this House would agree that welfare needs reform. I think about the constituent who was asked in a PIP assessment, “How long have you been autistic?” I think about other stories that are close to my heart, which I cannot repeat because t…”

“I will not, as I do not wish to deny other Members the chance to speak. All those representations were helpful and made a difference, and I am grateful to everyone who shared their story. I will be voting for the Bill tonight.”

“rose—”

“I intend to speak briefly, and I draw the House’s attention to my role as chair of the parliamentary group for the GMB, the union that represents the largest number of workers on the parliamentary estate, and to my declarations to that effect in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Parliament is, on the whole,…”

“Thank you, Chair. You both employ a large, high-skilled workforce, getting, between you, towards 3,000 people in rail manufacturing roles, directly. With the order book in its current state, at what point would reductions in that workforce start to kick in? To put it another way, how long can you maintain your current …”

“No, it has been covered.”

“Thank you.”

“On freight, there is a very large fleet of Class 66s that are coming towards the end of their life. You mentioned, Sambit, that Siemens has a product, albeit that it is not manufactured in the UK. Are you looking to future potential freight orders in the UK to help to fill some of those order book gaps? How practicable…”

“Okay. On the second point about value for money, you said earlier that the policy objective should be to create a market that offers best value for money for the taxpayer. The ORR separately has estimated that post-tax investment depreciation profit margins for the ROSCOs were 22% in 2023-24 and 34% the year before tha…”

“This question may need to be revisited sooner than five years because it relates to some that at the moment are franchised operations.”

“For the benefit of the Committee, could you talk us through what the significance of this process is and whether you think the current transparency order needs to be revised in light of the Government’s plans for rail reform?”

“I have two final topics to ask about, and both of these are directed at least initially to Malcolm. The first is about the ORR and the review of the 2009 transparency order, which I think you have a particular standing in as one of the parties that has been approached.”