Question
May I constructively suggest a way in which the Secretary of State could help three Cabinet colleagues—the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, who is building a major reservoir in my constituency; the Housing Secretary, who has big plans within Cambridgeshire; and the Chancellor, who often talks about the Oxford-Cambridge arc? Securing a light rail link to the reservoir will shape the public response to it, but the Department for Transport currently does not seem to be involved at all with the other Departments. I do not expect her to be familiar with the scheme—it is primarily for one of her colleagues—but could she write to me setting out what her Department might do to help those other Departments deliver on their aims?
Answer
This Government are investing considerably in improving rail services and public transport connections in Cambridgeshire. I would be happy to follow up on the detail of the right hon. Member’s proposal. I would just say that, with the East West Rail proposals linking Oxford to Cambridgeshire and the opening of the new station at Cambridge South, significant investment is going into this part of the country, but I will come back to him with the detail on his point.
Verdict: AMBER (30/100) DEFERRED
The minister acknowledged the request for detailed information but deferred the substantive response, committing to write back later. On the wider question, the reply covered only the transport side of the Cambridgeshire and Oxford-Cambridge arc, including East West Rail, the Cambridge South station and rail investment. It did not address how the Department for Transport would help DEFRA with the reservoir scheme or support the aims of MHCLG and HM Treasury, so the asker would likely need to follow up.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Secretary of State write to the Member setting out the Department's response to the request. | Deferred | Direct | The minister commits to follow up and 'come back to him with the detail', which acknowledges the request to write but defers the substantive response to a later date rather than giving it now. |
| What the Department for Transport might do to help the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and HM Treasury deliver their aims, including the reservoir scheme, housing plans in Cambridgeshire, and the Oxford-Cambridge arc. | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply covers only the transport side of the Cambridgeshire and Oxford-Cambridge arc agenda (East West Rail, the Cambridge South station, rail and public transport investment), and says nothing about how DfT would help DEFRA with the reservoir scheme or how it would support MHCLG and HM Treasury's aims. |