To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward legislation to allow the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region to appoint a public sector operator to run Merseyrail services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward legislation to allow the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region to appoint a public sector operator to run Merseyrail services.

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention and repeat that it remains to be seen how quickly that can be addressed. That is really our main point—we will scrutinise the Government on how quickly these changes can be delivered, because that is what all our constituents are really asking...

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention and repeat that it remains to be seen how quickly that can be addressed. That is really our main point—we will scrutinise the Government on how quickly these changes can be delivered, because that is what all our constituents are really asking...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the devolution of power for the Liverpool City Region to run the Merseyrail network in the public sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the devolution of power for the Liverpool City Region to run the Merseyrail network in the public sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of Merseyrail’s decision on passengers to reduce its timetable and increase fares on 4 January 2022 by 3.8 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of Merseyrail’s decision on passengers to reduce its timetable and increase fares on 4 January 2022 by 3.8 per cent.

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise in the Chamber the important issue of the future of safety-critical guards on Merseyrail trains.

All of us value the work of the people who keep our country moving, be they guards, drivers, signal workers, track workers, ticket office workers, cleaners or station...

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise in the Chamber the important issue of the future of safety-critical guards on Merseyrail trains.

All of us value the work of the people who keep our country moving, be they guards, drivers, signal workers, track workers, ticket office workers, cleaners or station...

My hon. Friend makes the point that nobody wants this to happen. He will have seen the letter from the city region of 16 November, which is signed by its six council leaders. It calls for

“both parties in the dispute…to agree to engage in a process of independent conciliation, starting...

My hon. Friend makes the point that nobody wants this to happen. He will have seen the letter from the city region of 16 November, which is signed by its six council leaders. It calls for

“both parties in the dispute…to agree to engage in a process of independent conciliation, starting...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I will lay out my arguments, including my comments about that issue, in my speech.

I will use this debate to outline why guards are so important for safety, security, service and accessibility, and to highlight the level of public support for...

I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I will lay out my arguments, including my comments about that issue, in my speech.

I will use this debate to outline why guards are so important for safety, security, service and accessibility, and to highlight the level of public support for...

Does my hon. Friend welcome the new rolling stock, which will have the best accessibility for disabled people in the whole of the country? Does he think that negotiations to resolve the industrial issue are a matter of urgency so that the people of Merseyside can enjoy the new trains...

Does my hon. Friend welcome the new rolling stock, which will have the best accessibility for disabled people in the whole of the country? Does he think that negotiations to resolve the industrial issue are a matter of urgency so that the people of Merseyside can enjoy the new trains...

Negotiations are of course critical to resolving the dispute, and I absolutely welcome the new trains. They are long overdue and something the unions have campaigned for. They will be publicly owned by the people of the Liverpool city region and are forecast

to be 30% cheaper for the taxpayer...

Negotiations are of course critical to resolving the dispute, and I absolutely welcome the new trains. They are long overdue and something the unions have campaigned for. They will be publicly owned by the people of the Liverpool city region and are forecast

to be 30% cheaper for the taxpayer...

Is my hon. Friend aware that the state-owned operator puts guards on its trains in Holland, but proposes to run a service without them on its Mersey franchise?

Is my hon. Friend aware that the state-owned operator puts guards on its trains in Holland, but proposes to run a service without them on its Mersey franchise?

I find that incredible. It is not good enough for the people of Merseyside to go without guards when companies that profit from the revenue from those people’s tickets provide guards in other countries.

Instead of pushing DOO, the Government could make passenger safety and the provision of safety-critical guards non-negotiable,...

I find that incredible. It is not good enough for the people of Merseyside to go without guards when companies that profit from the revenue from those people’s tickets provide guards in other countries.

Instead of pushing DOO, the Government could make passenger safety and the provision of safety-critical guards non-negotiable,...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

I will not, because I am pushed for time.

For the reasons that I have outlined, I believe that the basis of any resolution must be agreement on the principle of keeping the guard on the train. Last week Merseyrail appointed a new managing director, and that might provide an opportunity...

I will not, because I am pushed for time.

For the reasons that I have outlined, I believe that the basis of any resolution must be agreement on the principle of keeping the guard on the train. Last week Merseyrail appointed a new managing director, and that might provide an opportunity...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Dan Carden) on securing the debate, and also on delivering his thoughts in such a cogent and well-balanced way. I am pleased to see that so many Members from both sides...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Dan Carden) on securing the debate, and also on delivering his thoughts in such a cogent and well-balanced way. I am pleased to see that so many Members from both sides...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

Given the lack of available time, it is only fair that if there are interventions, I should devote my responses to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton. He can choose the moment at which to launch his salvo in my direction, but I suspect that divergence will increase as my...

Given the lack of available time, it is only fair that if there are interventions, I should devote my responses to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton. He can choose the moment at which to launch his salvo in my direction, but I suspect that divergence will increase as my...

In my speech, I congratulated Merseytravel on the ability to secure provision of these trains in the public sector, which means that they will be 30% cheaper than if they were bought through private means and private loans. But the one thing we cannot do is have a publicly run...

In my speech, I congratulated Merseytravel on the ability to secure provision of these trains in the public sector, which means that they will be 30% cheaper than if they were bought through private means and private loans. But the one thing we cannot do is have a publicly run...

I heard the hon. Gentleman’s point earlier. My response is that that is not Government policy and nor do I ever see it being Government policy while my party remains in power. The opportunity to have a public monopoly on our railways may be in the interest of the Labour...

I heard the hon. Gentleman’s point earlier. My response is that that is not Government policy and nor do I ever see it being Government policy while my party remains in power. The opportunity to have a public monopoly on our railways may be in the interest of the Labour...

I hope that the Minister will respond to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Dan Carden) about the £32 million cut in central Government funding for Merseytravel, which is forcing it to make decisions that it would not want to make if it had...

I hope that the Minister will respond to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Dan Carden) about the £32 million cut in central Government funding for Merseytravel, which is forcing it to make decisions that it would not want to make if it had...