To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of the National Cycle Network in providing access to nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of the National Cycle Network in providing access to nature.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with Sustrans to improve safety on route 22 of the National Cycle Network in Portsmouth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with Sustrans to improve safety on route 22 of the National Cycle Network in Portsmouth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the National Cycle Network for promoting active travel in Portsmouth South constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the National Cycle Network for promoting active travel in Portsmouth South constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding given by his Department to maintain the National Cycle Network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding given by his Department to maintain the National Cycle Network.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the National Cycle Network in providing opportunities for active travel in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the National Cycle Network in providing opportunities for active travel in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps with Sustrans to improve Route 11 of the National Cycle Network in Cambridge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps with Sustrans to improve Route 11 of the National Cycle Network in Cambridge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the level of funding required to maintain the National Cycle Network; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the level of funding required to maintain the National Cycle Network; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of constructing a cycle lane alongside the HS2 line from London to Birmingham.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of constructing a cycle lane alongside the HS2 line from London to Birmingham.

Motion that this House has considered funding for major infrastructure projects. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered funding for major infrastructure projects. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered funding for major infrastructure projects.

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Sharma. Any Government should have a long-term strategic vision for the country beyond short-term election cycles. Infrastructure planning must be at the heart of any serious...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered funding for major infrastructure projects.

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Sharma. Any Government should have a long-term strategic vision for the country beyond short-term election cycles. Infrastructure planning must be at the heart of any serious...

Thank you, Mr Sharma—again, it is a pleasure to see you in the Chair. I think I had just got beyond my first sentence, so I will repeat what I finished with. Currently, a long-term, coherent infrastructure strategy is lacking, and the Government are failing to capitalise on the long-term...

Thank you, Mr Sharma—again, it is a pleasure to see you in the Chair. I think I had just got beyond my first sentence, so I will repeat what I finished with. Currently, a long-term, coherent infrastructure strategy is lacking, and the Government are failing to capitalise on the long-term...

I share my hon. Friend’s concerns that even the Government’s attempts to keep construction of HS2 in budget will, in practice, only add to the already spiralling costs. Surely this shows that spending on HS2 is completely out of control. Whatever our views on this particular project— I personally think...

I share my hon. Friend’s concerns that even the Government’s attempts to keep construction of HS2 in budget will, in practice, only add to the already spiralling costs. Surely this shows that spending on HS2 is completely out of control. Whatever our views on this particular project— I personally think...

My hon. Friend’s intervention goes straight to the issue. What were the initial contracts the Government signed with contractors? We have to scrutinise the plans for delivery to make them viable for taxpayers. To pick up my hon. Friend’s point, the National Audit Office has said that the decision to...

My hon. Friend’s intervention goes straight to the issue. What were the initial contracts the Government signed with contractors? We have to scrutinise the plans for delivery to make them viable for taxpayers. To pick up my hon. Friend’s point, the National Audit Office has said that the decision to...

The hon. Member is making an interesting speech, and I agree with some of what she has said, but let us be clear: the reason so little track was built was because Network Rail failed to deliver it. That is not the Government’s fault; that is an implementation fault. Network...

The hon. Member is making an interesting speech, and I agree with some of what she has said, but let us be clear: the reason so little track was built was because Network Rail failed to deliver it. That is not the Government’s fault; that is an implementation fault. Network...

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention; I have already answered half the points he raises. The problem is that the Government need a scrutiny process to ensure that those contracts are delivered on time and on budget. There seems to be something wrong with the Government’s system to...

I thank the hon. Member for his intervention; I have already answered half the points he raises. The problem is that the Government need a scrutiny process to ensure that those contracts are delivered on time and on budget. There seems to be something wrong with the Government’s system to...

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Sharma. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bath

(Wera Hobhouse) on securing today’s very timely debate. It strikes at many of the issues that we face in politics at the moment—issues that must be dealt with...

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Sharma. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bath

(Wera Hobhouse) on securing today’s very timely debate. It strikes at many of the issues that we face in politics at the moment—issues that must be dealt with...

I do not know too much about ferry services, but I think the point that my right hon. Friend is making is that we cannot just look at one product in isolation. The cost benefits are wider, in the round.

I do not know too much about ferry services, but I think the point that my right hon. Friend is making is that we cannot just look at one product in isolation. The cost benefits are wider, in the round.

Absolutely. I am horrified that, having been a colleague of mine, my hon. Friend says she does not know much about ferry services—she has clearly not been listening! However, the point she makes is a good one.

This is where Treasury rules and funding come into play. If we are looking...

Absolutely. I am horrified that, having been a colleague of mine, my hon. Friend says she does not know much about ferry services—she has clearly not been listening! However, the point she makes is a good one.

This is where Treasury rules and funding come into play. If we are looking...

You were right the first time.

You were right the first time.

Yes, I am always right the first time.

There is a continuing role for the Treasury in relation to funding, because a significant proportion of the ferries that we are now looking to replace were purchased and commissioned in the first place with a proportion of EU funding. That funding now...

Yes, I am always right the first time.

There is a continuing role for the Treasury in relation to funding, because a significant proportion of the ferries that we are now looking to replace were purchased and commissioned in the first place with a proportion of EU funding. That funding now...