Speeches by Turner.

“Please forgive the question, but why would the Treasury wish to meet and have discussions directly without the DFT in the room?”

“During that process of development costs being incurred, I understand that some factors may have been overlooked at an early stage of maturity. There might be construction cost inflation or other factors beyond your control. At what point in that process do the red lights start flashing and you determine that something…”

“I also want to ask about suicide prevention, which of course is a very important area. I understand that recording information about suicides on the strategic road network is a challenging area. Available statistics suggest that there has perhaps been an increase, which has now reached a certain level year on year. I h…”

“For the record, it was Birmingham City Council that was at fault not yourselves.”

“Finally, we have talked about the relationship between National Highways and the DFT, but what is the Treasury’s role in this? Do you talk to the Treasury directly? I understand that it may be about to take a wider interest in infrastructure costs across the board. Are you engaging with that?”

“A number of capital schemes were cancelled in 2024. In the National Highways annual report the recorded accounts were down in value by just under half a billion pounds with no assets delivered. Was there any value to the public that can be carried forward from the work that was done on these schemes prior to cancellati…”

“If a major deficiency is identified or an asset deteriorates quickly, where will the money come from to make the structure safe?”

“Just on that database work that you mentioned, this is a project that has started. Are you able to give any indication of when that might be going live?”

“Essentially it comes down to wider contingency.”

“You have described changes that have been made within National Highways. Has the DFT changed the way that it solicits information, or otherwise exercises cost monitoring and control?”

“What are the changes that the DFT has made in terms of this?”

“I thank the Minister and the Government for bringing forward this secondary legislation. As he knows, there is a need to improve the diversity of the driving workforce and to address the challenges of an ageing workforce, so this is a much-welcomed change and a fantastic example of industry, Government and unions worki…”

“Would the other witnesses like to bring to our attention any evidence or studies about poor integration as a barrier to modal shift?”

“Did anyone want to pick up the point about decision making that can have the effect of modal shift but in the other direction?”

“Will the Minister look at the sorry tale of Glenart Castle Mess in Longbridge, Birmingham? This is armed forces accommodation not from decades ago; it opened in 2017 at a cost to the taxpayer of £36 million. It was built with 95% flammable external cladding, and the fire defects within the accommodation have now been j…”

“We have had a lot of written representations about poor integration as a barrier to shifting travel behaviour. It certainly rings true in my area, where we have major arterial driving routes, parts of the national cycle network, heavy rail and a major bus corridor, but, if I am honest, it is less than the sum of its pa…”

“That is a very helpful point. Returning to some of the local decision making by transport authorities, do you think, from your knowledge of examples within the UK, that transport authorities are sufficiently led by the evidence on what works? How do transport authorities in the UK balance that evidence from above—case …”

“Good morning. On the interventions that are most effective at changing behaviour, it sometimes feels like the individual interventions are determined by the funding pots that are available and the conditions attached to them. In a world that hopefully has a bit more integration and flexibility in transport funding, wha…”

“I declare an interest as chair of the GMB’s parliamentary group. The week after next, there will be another strike, when GMB members of the BMA’s own staff go out on industrial action, as has already been referenced. Their employer’s offer is 2.75%, which is lower than the 3.5% for doctors that the BMA called a “crushi…”

“I welcome the Minister’s statement and the way in which he has addressed the House. I want to pick up on the important question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns). The administration of a deceased loved one’s affairs is a lengthy and difficult process at the best of times. It will come as a trem…”