Speeches by Kane.

“Indeed. It depends what scheme comes forward. That is key to it.”

“In terms of the southern rail link and the western rail link, we would expect that any promoter bringing that forward will have to take that into consideration. That was in our last ANPS; it will be in the next ANPS. We expect that the promotor would fund it if that is what the scheme requires. We do not know that. I h…”

“Some of the evidence that you have probably received is that this could create 100,000 jobs and improve GDP by 0.3%, and some analysis shows that 60% of the benefits from expanding Heathrow would be outside the south-east. As part of how we improve transport links nationally, this Government are moving at pace in terms…”

“Regional capacity of airports?”

“Yes. That is a really legitimate question. I will pivot back to me being involved in opening the second runway at Manchester in 2001. The design concept was around about ’96. It took four to five years to get that from design and concept to up and running. We have seen 2 million square feet of high advanced manufacturi…”

“If wishing made it so, but this is an industry that exists mainly in the private sector. Most people actually want to hub in and out of Heathrow. There is no doubt about that. Most of our air freight comes in through Heathrow as well. Other places do really well—Scotland, East Midlands and places like that. The capacit…”

“I have read the Frontier Economics report. That is a report sponsored by Heathrow. It clearly said, as I mentioned, a 0.43% rise in GDP, which will be good for the country, and 60% of that benefit would be outside the south-east. I want to speak about the statistics that I gave you earlier from the Office for National …”

“I say again what I said earlier: capacity in London is at 76% on average, and at 95% at Gatwick and Heathrow. What is the Liberal Democrat answer to that? Do we not want people to fly across the world to bang the drum for British business? Do we not want them to visit their friends and family? Are the Liberal Democrats…”

“I cannot agree more. The Government’s defined mission will be growth. The aviation sector is one where we can grow the economy, because it provides the connectivity and the high-skilled, trade unionised jobs that support families and careers right across our country.”

“What a breath of fresh air my hon. Friend was in his by-election, and he is now on these Benches, campaigning for his airport in Blackpool. I am really looking forward to visiting the airport and to my night out there—I hope that will come with fish and chips on the prom, as well.”

“That is the problem when a new Member is called last, but he is agile—mentally on his feet—to get that in. We are investing in hydrogen zero-emission technology, with £1 billion for the ATI. I hope the hon. Gentleman is sat on the Opposition Benches in the months ahead when we implement the revenue certainty mechanisms…”

“The hon. Member is such a doughty campaigner that I think he had an urgent question in the House a few weeks ago when his plane was cancelled! “Well done,” is all I can say. That day we had a really good question and answer session on connectivity in Northern Ireland. We have two great airports in Belfast, and Derry/Lo…”

“Yes, is the answer. We will come forward, very shortly, with a policy framework. We have not had one for many years. It is more than time to update it—the hon. Lady is right.”

“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question and, even from this Lancastrian, for his chairmanship of the APPG for Yorkshire. I will say a couple of things. We have five great northern runways, and we need to begin to improve their capacity and connectivity. That is key to regional economic growth. Hopefully, whoev…”

“I thank the hon. Member. She is actually right, and well done to her for being there during the SAF debate and supporting the Government. At the moment, the technology does not exist to fully decarbonise aviation. We are looking at hydrogen, we have the advanced fuels fund and we are investing £1 billion in the ATI, bu…”

“I thank the right hon. Member, who I know is a campaigner on this. I keep a close eye on all matters of connectivity to Northern Ireland. Investor confidence in aviation is huge: investors are queuing up and looking for opportunities. We must ensure those opportunities come with jobs and growth, but also that they are …”

“I also understand that you can have a good old party on the ferry from the port of Tyne to Amsterdam—I do not know whether my hon. Friend has taken it. He is exactly right. If we do not invest in a hub airport in the UK, people will go point to point outside the UK to transfer to the places they want to go to. That is …”

“I am hearing that Members on the Liberal Democrat Benches are against wealthy people and against our constituents flying, in some cases. There is no bigger champion of active travel in this House than me—except for my ministerial colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield and Rothwell—and I hope to do a lot mor…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. He is a very good campaigner for his local airport and for the public service obligation flights out of that airport. Not making these tough decisions does not mean there is no carbon—it simply means that customers vote with their feet and go to Schiphol, Frankfurt or Charles de Gaul…”

“Well, the Conservatives built a road, but it just floods all the time—maybe we can start by dealing with that. The hon. Lady is right that Manchester airport is in my constituency. Mine is actually the most visited constituency in the north of England; in fact, 30 million people visited it last year alone, although the…”