Results 1-20 of 1,077 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Stephen Hammond

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Local Transport Plan (22 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Hammond: As my right hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) pointed out, it is to this Government's continuing shame that they are killing off so many innovative local transport schemes by national diktat. When will they do what they have done in so many areas of transport, not least in relation to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs....

[John Cummings in the Chair] (14 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: This is an important debate, as several hon. Members said, and I congratulate the hon. Member for City of York (Hugh Bayley) on securing it. He made some comments about the Conservative party and the view on franchising. He will know, if he has read our documents, that we have indicated that we think that there should be a quantitative as well as a qualitative judgment, and we agree that...

[John Cummings in the Chair] (14 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: No, without wishing to pull the hon. Lady up, that is simply not true. It was indicated by her own side that the statement in the House could happen at 5 o'clock and Mr. Speaker rejected that. Also, as the Minister of State attends Cabinet, he is surely competent and should have been able to make that statement at 12.30. The one thing about which we can all agree is that the Government...

[John Cummings in the Chair] (14 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: I will come on to the hon. Gentleman's point about exactly what the Minister thinks the foregone income and the income gained might be. Are the Government satisfied that, as they will take over the franchise, the holding company's liabilities—the £40 million loan and the £32 million performance bond—are still liable? Can the Minister confirm that that is the cap to the...

East Coast Main Line (14 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

East Coast Main Line (14 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: I know that the hon. Gentleman is concluding, but does he want to quote what Lord Adonis said about British Rail in that New Statesman article?

Energy and Climate Change: Newspapers (Surveillance Methods) (9 Jul 2009) has video

Stephen Hammond: Are the Government satisfied with the measures that are in place to prevent illegal access to the police national computer? If, in the light of these allegations, they are not satisfied, what will they do about that?

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: National Identity Scheme (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: What recent representations he has received on the introduction of the national identity scheme.

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: National Identity Scheme (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State will note that his colleague made it clear in a Delegated Legislation Committee last week that this scheme, now revised, is not for the prevention of terrorism, the reduction of crime or the stopping of legal immigration, but it is claimed that it will derive £6 billion net benefit for our country. What is the purpose of the scheme, and how can that figure be justified?

[Mr. Jim Hood in the Chair] — Railways (North of England) (1 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: May I join others in congratulating the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Ms Smith) on securing the debate? I know that she takes a great interest in transport, particularly those matters that affect her constituency. She eloquently underlined the failings of the transport system that the Government have put in place, and she made a good case for high-speed rail and for the north....

[Mr. Jim Hood in the Chair] — Railways (North of England) (1 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: All transport networks have to start somewhere, and we hope that it will be the first phase in the roll-out of the high-speed network. The Minister will of course want to confirm that the Government plan to take high-speed rail only to Rugby. Our policy is to take it further; we see it as part of a network strategy.

[Mr. Jim Hood in the Chair] — Railways (North of England) (1 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: The hon. Lady will know from our feasibility study—she has clearly read it—that the cost in 2008 prices of a high-speed rail line is about £20.5 billion. We have committed ourselves to control period 5, which will be the first part of an element of Government money; it will probably be about £16 billion, or £1.3 billion per annum for the build time of that project....

[Mr. Jim Hood in the Chair] — Railways (North of England) (1 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: No, I am sorry. I promised that I would speak for only another two minutes, and I have already given way several times. Despite what the Prime Minister said, capital expenditure under the Red Book will decline after 2010, and it will not rise until the Olympics. Will the Minister confirm that? I look forward to a yes or no answer. On 29 June, Lord Mandelson said in an interview that Building...

[Mr. Jim Hood in the Chair] — Railways (North of England) (1 Jul 2009)

Stephen Hammond: The answer to the hon. Gentleman's question is clear: it is because there are not 1,300 new carriages. There are only 973—and only some of them are new; some are cascaded from other railways.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Rail Services (London/South Wales) (25 Jun 2009) has video

Stephen Hammond: May I congratulate you on your election, Mr. Speaker, and welcome the new ministerial team? The Minister will be aware that the previous Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon), told the House repeatedly that electrification to south-west and south Wales was a priority for the Government and that they would improve services. As the Prime Minister was shown...

[Mr. Martin Caton in the Chair] — Middle East (24 Jun 2009)

Stephen Hammond: I apologise for being so late, but I was speaking at a conference, and I have come straight here. I want to follow on from my hon. Friend's point, because I was in Damascus in April, and Deputy Prime Minister al-Dardari made absolutely the same point. Given this country's strategic strength in financial services—notwithstanding what is happening in the world at the moment—and...

[Hugh Bayley in the Chair] — Rail Industry (3 Jun 2009)

Stephen Hammond: Will the Minister give way?

[Hugh Bayley in the Chair] — Rail Industry (3 Jun 2009)

Stephen Hammond: There can be no doubt that we are in a recession, and there is no doubt that the causes of that recession, like all recessions, are both international and domestic. I therefore congratulate the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) on calling this debate, which allows us to look at some of the domestic implications of the recession. I was pleased that I agreed with some of...

[Hugh Bayley in the Chair] — Rail Industry (3 Jun 2009)

Stephen Hammond: I am happy to explain it. It is widely acknowledged that Metronet believed that it was in a cost-plus contract and that Livingstone believed he was in a cost-inclusive contract, but neither side wished to test that point. There was economic incompetence on both sides.

[Hugh Bayley in the Chair] — Rail Industry (3 Jun 2009)

Stephen Hammond: No, I have given the hon. Gentleman his chance. It is important to recognise that there has also been a complete failure to acknowledge that the Government's franchising process has given rise to a number of the issues that the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington described and that they are not the fault of the TOCs. The Government are trying to rebalance the position between the fare payer...