To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 16 February (HL14539), what steps they are taking to refurbish the water fluoridation scheme in Bedfordshire.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 16 February (HL14539), what steps they are taking to refurbish the water fluoridation scheme in Bedfordshire.

Motion that this House has considered transport requirements in the Marston Vale. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered transport requirements in the Marston Vale. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered transport requirements in the Marston Vale.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I hope this can be a constructive debate. I am not here to bash the Government or to stand in the way of progress; I am...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered transport requirements in the Marston Vale.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I hope this can be a constructive debate. I am not here to bash the Government or to stand in the way of progress; I am...

I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. I very well understand the absolute devastation caused by bad management. As I said to him beforehand, I have similar problems in my constituency in relation to the Ballynahinch bypass. We must have robust Government involvement in prioritising infrastructure, and it...

I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. I very well understand the absolute devastation caused by bad management. As I said to him beforehand, I have similar problems in my constituency in relation to the Ballynahinch bypass. We must have robust Government involvement in prioritising infrastructure, and it...

I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman. With the scale of the change that we are discussing, particularly in my constituency and also in his, it is vital that the proposals are done with, not done to, the residents of the Marston Vale and Strangford, in order to retain public...

I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman. With the scale of the change that we are discussing, particularly in my constituency and also in his, it is vital that the proposals are done with, not done to, the residents of the Marston Vale and Strangford, in order to retain public...

It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Blake Stephenson) on securing this timely debate, and I thank him for the way in which he made the case on behalf of his constituents. I also acknowledge his efforts...

It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Blake Stephenson) on securing this timely debate, and I thank him for the way in which he made the case on behalf of his constituents. I also acknowledge his efforts...

I thank the Minister for briefly outlining what the £1.3 billion of taxpayers’ money will be spent on. My residents will be relieved to hear that Wixams station is expected to open in time for Universal.

The Minister also talked about targeted investment in the local road network. When the detail...

I thank the Minister for briefly outlining what the £1.3 billion of taxpayers’ money will be spent on. My residents will be relieved to hear that Wixams station is expected to open in time for Universal.

The Minister also talked about targeted investment in the local road network. When the detail...

I will ensure that my colleague, the roads Minister, writes to the hon. Gentleman with further information on those plans.

Importantly, we are also working to ensure that the resort is fully integrated into the wider transport system, particularly through East West Rail and its new station at Stewartby. This will...

I will ensure that my colleague, the roads Minister, writes to the hon. Gentleman with further information on those plans.

Importantly, we are also working to ensure that the resort is fully integrated into the wider transport system, particularly through East West Rail and its new station at Stewartby. This will...

The Minister talked about bringing together local councils—Central Bedfordshire council and Bedford borough council—and England’s Economic Heartland. One of my asks was that we also bring together Universal UK, O&H, which is a significant developer of 5,000 houses in the area, and East West Rail, to ensure that local infrastructure...

The Minister talked about bringing together local councils—Central Bedfordshire council and Bedford borough council—and England’s Economic Heartland. One of my asks was that we also bring together Universal UK, O&H, which is a significant developer of 5,000 houses in the area, and East West Rail, to ensure that local infrastructure...

The hon. Member makes a really good point about the importance of making sure that stakeholders are involved in these conversations, and I will certainly take his proposal away and talk to colleagues in the Department.

The transport requirements of the Marston Vale are clear: better connectivity, greater reliability and a...

The hon. Member makes a really good point about the importance of making sure that stakeholders are involved in these conversations, and I will certainly take his proposal away and talk to colleagues in the Department.

The transport requirements of the Marston Vale are clear: better connectivity, greater reliability and a...

The Government are delivering a £1.3 billion package of transport and infrastructure improvements across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, including £474 million of investment in strategic road and rail upgrades around Bedford, a new four-platform station at Wixams and improvements to the A421 serving the Universal United Kingdom resort. The Government have also committed £2.5 billion for East West Rail over the spending review period, with a new station at Stewartby to serve Universal. Just last week, we announced £117 million for a new eastern entrance at Bletchley. Together, these investments will improve connectivity, support economic growth and create opportunities across the region.

The Government are delivering a £1.3 billion package of transport and infrastructure improvements across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, including £474 million of investment in strategic road and rail upgrades around Bedford, a new four-platform station at Wixams and improvements to the A421 serving the Universal United Kingdom resort. The Government have also committed £2.5 billion for East West Rail over the spending review period, with a new station at Stewartby to serve Universal. Just last week, we announced £117 million for a new eastern entrance at Bletchley. Together, these investments will improve connectivity, support economic growth and create opportunities across the region.

The Universal resort will be a major employer, as well as a visitor destination, and East West Rail is central to people getting there sustainably. For my constituents, that includes being able to access the railway sustainably. Can the Secretary of State confirm that the planning of the new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne will include the design of travel connections by bus, cycle and foot? Will she also confirm that provision for an additional new station to the east of St Neots will be reviewed?

The Universal resort will be a major employer, as well as a visitor destination, and East West Rail is central to people getting there sustainably. For my constituents, that includes being able to access the railway sustainably. Can the Secretary of State confirm that the planning of the new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne will include the design of travel connections by bus, cycle and foot? Will she also confirm that provision for an additional new station to the east of St Neots will be reviewed?

I am really pleased that we are accelerating the delivery of a new station at Tempsford, which will be the connection between East West Rail and the east coast main line. The Chancellor brought that forward in her Budget in 2024, and I want to make sure that public transport services are properly integrated with new stations, whether that is at Tempsford or Cambourne.

As for a potential new station east of St Neots, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that the current proposals include new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne. We are pursuing further opportunities across the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, but any future station would need to demonstrate value for money, affordability and local support.

I am really pleased that we are accelerating the delivery of a new station at Tempsford, which will be the connection between East West Rail and the east coast main line. The Chancellor brought that forward in her Budget in 2024, and I want to make sure that public transport services are properly integrated with new stations, whether that is at Tempsford or Cambourne.

As for a potential new station east of St Neots, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that the current proposals include new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne. We are pursuing further opportunities across the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, but any future station would need to demonstrate value for money, affordability and local support.

It has been announced to great fanfare that East West Rail will be the main transport connection from Cambridgeshire to Bedfordshire, as well as in the other direction to get to the new Universal park. However. if the Government cannot get the bit of East West Rail that has been built operational—we know that that is all down to a row with the unions—what hope does anyone in Cambridgeshire or Bedfordshire, or anyone wanting to go to Universal, have of being able to travel there by rail?

It has been announced to great fanfare that East West Rail will be the main transport connection from Cambridgeshire to Bedfordshire, as well as in the other direction to get to the new Universal park. However. if the Government cannot get the bit of East West Rail that has been built operational—we know that that is all down to a row with the unions—what hope does anyone in Cambridgeshire or Bedfordshire, or anyone wanting to go to Universal, have of being able to travel there by rail?

I would caution the hon. Gentleman against his indignant tone, given the inheritance that we received from his Government on East West Rail. When we came into office, no operator had been appointed to run East West Rail; we got on with it and did it. We had to finish the work at Winslow station; we got on with it and did it. We need to ensure that services on East West Rail are fit for the sort of usage that is now likely to happen, given that planning permission has been granted for Universal, and that includes the nature of staffing on the rail line. As the Minister for Aviation said in response to a previous question, Chiltern Railways is leading the discussions, and we are keen to see services enter into operation as soon as possible.

I would caution the hon. Gentleman against his indignant tone, given the inheritance that we received from his Government on East West Rail. When we came into office, no operator had been appointed to run East West Rail; we got on with it and did it. We had to finish the work at Winslow station; we got on with it and did it. We need to ensure that services on East West Rail are fit for the sort of usage that is now likely to happen, given that planning permission has been granted for Universal, and that includes the nature of staffing on the rail line. As the Minister for Aviation said in response to a previous question, Chiltern Railways is leading the discussions, and we are keen to see services enter into operation as soon as possible.

What steps she is taking to improve transport links between Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire in the context of the Universal United Kingdom Resort.

What steps she is taking to improve transport links between Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire in the context of the Universal United Kingdom Resort.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to kinship carers in (a) Bedford Borough and (b) Bedfordshire not participating in the kinship care pilot programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to kinship carers in (a) Bedford Borough and (b) Bedfordshire not participating in the kinship care pilot programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that evidence gathered from kinship care pilot areas is representative of kinship carers, including in Bedford Borough and neighbouring local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that evidence gathered from kinship care pilot areas is representative of kinship carers, including in Bedford Borough and neighbouring local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that kinship carers in Bedford Borough and other local authority areas do not wait for financial reform while kinship care pilot schemes are evaluated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that kinship carers in Bedford Borough and other local authority areas do not wait for financial reform while kinship care pilot schemes are evaluated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's timeline is for national implementation of kinship care financial support; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken on kinship carers in Bedford Borough.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's timeline is for national implementation of kinship care financial support; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken on kinship carers in Bedford Borough.