Clause 19
Local Transport Bill [Lords]
11:00 am
Norman Baker (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Transport; Lewes, Liberal Democrat)
In a useful contribution to the debate, the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley began by saying that quality contracts schemes are the kernel of the Bill, and so they are. If we can get this right, we will hold out the prospect of increased bus patronage, the deficiencies of the current system being addressed and the problems of the Sunday service, which the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe referred to a moment ago, being corrected to the benefit of all. However, if we do not get it right, we will be in severe danger of repeating the mistakes of the 2000 Act. The best will in the world, which created that Act, will have created this Act, which will simply be filed on a shelf to gather dust while things carry on pretty much as normal, with local authorities trying to use the legislation, but probably not succeeding too well because of the hurdles that have been put in place.
When faced with a number of hurdles, the ITAs may well conclude that the game is not worth the candle and just not bother. That would be very sad, and not at all what the Minister and her team want. I readily accept that they have introduced the Bill to improve things.
The difference between the Minister and her colleagues—I align myself with her colleagues on this matter—is over whether the Bill will achieve the ends that she wishes or whether those ends are too onerous to be achieved. In that sense, there is a practical difference between the arguments that we are making now and the Conservative position, which is a separate issue. I want to dwell on that for a second. I hope that we hear from the hon. Member for Wimbledon in due course, as this is an important part of the Bill and we must test his party’s position.
I must reflect on the fact that the motion tabled by the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet on Second Reading on 26 March began:
“That this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Local Transport Bill [Lords] because it encourages the introduction of Quality Contract schemes to regulate bus networks, thus preventing free competition between bus operators”.
That is a different position from that outlined by those who have spoken this morning. Furthermore, the hon. Lady said:
“In future, we would certainly look to remove quality contracts altogether as an option outside London”.—[Official Report, 26 March 2008; Vol. 474, c. 204-09.]
If that philosophical position has been adopted, it is incumbent on Conservative members of the Committee to demonstrate how they would address the inefficiencies under the current system without resorting to quality contracts. In the debate, the hon. Member for Wimbledon put great stress on the use of partnerships generally.