Part of Transport – in the House of Commons at on 12 February 2026.
Mark Pritchard
Conservative, The Wrekin
I am always the reserve; it is the story of my life. I was always on the reserve bench, but I am delighted to be called.
On a serious point, Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road will potentially have a conflict of interest when deciding on open access agreements, such as the application of the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway company. That will likely bring about £2.2 million of growth into Shropshire’s economy, and full, direct rail services to London every single day. Could the Secretary of State reassure all my businesses and constituents in the Wrekin that there is no conflict of interest between Great British Railways and the Office of Rail and Road when deciding these applications?
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
