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High Speed Rail

May I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his statement about what might well be our most important transport project this century? Does he agree that it is understandable that we will want high speed trains coming into Edinburgh and Glasgow as soon as practicable? In that context, of course we accept that the first line will have to start at London and move north, but will the Minister do all he can to help us achieve what we want? It is a little bit of a disappointment—not a major issue—that he is still talking in terms of moving on to the conventional track before the high speed link to Edinburgh and Glasgow is built.