Speeches by Smith.

“It is a chicken and egg situation, though. Ultimately some of them could get that long-term funding.”

“On GBR and the national plan, and having a national framework and strategy, I am interested in your reflections a year in on how that is going to work with local government reorganisation where, particularly in the bus sphere, we are offering local authorities more control, whereas the creation of GBR feels like it is …”

“Further to that line of questioning, we are interested to know whether the schemes that have been halted are effectively first in line for reconsideration when funding becomes available.”

“Pushing on this further, can you explain how the Department arrived at which schemes it would prioritise and how in future it will determine which of the paused schemes will be prioritised going forward as well?”

“Drilling down a little bit more if I may, and then we can move on, you have said several sometimes, Lord Hendy, that they have been looked at under the framework of “growth, jobs and homes”. Bringing it to a local perspective, Plymouth has been announced as a defence hub. It has had billions of pounds invested over the…”

“Mid Cornwall Metro has nothing to do with the scheme. It is ultimately a central Government-funded defence investment. With all due respect, we have heard that the Government are apparently better than the previous one because everything is being joined up and transport is central, but ultimately they have just given b…”

“Yes, but the local authorities that have combined authority mayors are in the north. That is not the ones that are down in the south-west.”

“I will follow up and write.”

“I was going to bring this in much later, and I may well come back to it if I feel that there are more angles to explore. Ultimately, you have just talked extensively about long-term national interest and about the need for a pipeline for key infrastructure projects. You listed all the ones we always hear about in the n…”

“It is my understanding that South Hams district council is in an arguably more sound fiscal position than the neighbouring Plymouth city council. What can the Secretary of State say to reassure me that local government reorganisation will not mimic either a forced marriage or a bad marriage where the fiscally prudent o…”

“17. What progress he has made on publishing a tracking dashboard for the plan for change metrics.”

“The Government are clearly very happy to claim that all is rosy after their first year in power, yet on the ground in my constituency and around the country, the opposite story is being told. The Government’s policies are hitting my constituents hard—whether it is the impact of increased national insurance contribution…”

“I thank the Secretary of State for her statement, but I am really disappointed that the TavyRail scheme has received a red light. We have heard quite a lot about the investment in Devon and Somerset. The Government are delivering a huge amount of investment in Plymouth, which is welcome, but without a rail link between…”

“It has been a privilege to hear so many well-informed and considered speeches this evening. I am sure we would all agree that there is clearly significant expertise in the Chamber. The heart of this Bill is people doing the right thing by preparing for their future and saving into their pension pots. With auto-enrolmen…”

“Am I right that the hon. Lady is suggesting that a partially sighted person or a disabled person is somehow lower down the hierarchy than a cyclist, simply because they are on a bus rather than walking or cycling?”

“Last week, I spent time at the Box museum in Plymouth, before heading to Plympton in my constituency for the unveiling of a blue plaque to honour the life of Sir Charles Lock Eastlake, who was the first director of the National Gallery and chair of the commission to procure art for the new Palace of Westminster. One qu…”

“I want to expand a little on what my hon. Friend was saying about sustainable fuels that are, literally, drop-in fuel alternatives. Anyone watching the British Grand Prix this weekend knows that motor racing is beginning to use such fuel. There is real appetite for manufacturing it in the UK, but regulations get in the…”

“Is there anything that your organisation would have done differently in that project?”

“The recently reopened Northumberland line is an example of a combined authority working with Network Rail and industry to deliver an enhancement scheme. Could you describe how that process worked and whether you think it has been successful?”

“Dawn, you mention in your written evidence the challenges caused by incremental investment in the Tyne and Wear metro. Would you be able to elaborate on this, please?”