Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Manufacturing: Alstom

Thursday 14 December 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial officials have held regular meetings with senior management at Alstom.
  • A cross-Whitehall group has been convened to advise on ways to support continued production at Alstom in Derby.
  • The Secretary of State responded that the hon. Member for Portsmouth South's questions were surprising and misrepresented the government's decisions.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Margaret Beckett Lab
Transport
Context

Alstom's rail manufacturing operations in Derby are at risk, affecting local jobs and the economy.

Question

What steps has he taken to support rail manufacturing at Alstom in Derby.?

Answer from Mark Harper

My officials and I have held regular meetings with senior management at Alstom. We have also convened a cross-Whitehall group to advise on ways to support continued production at Derby, and on how best to support workers who could lose their jobs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commercial decision details and commitments were not provided

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Q2 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Employment Transport
Context

The Government's support for HS2 train manufacturing is now in question as jobs are at risk.

Question

Will the Secretary of State meet Hitachi and Alstom urgently? Does he accept that failure to act will result in thousands of skilled jobs lost?

Answer from Mark Harper

I am slightly surprised by his questions. I sent a comprehensive reply on 24 November which has not been publicised. He tries to pretend our decision on HS2 relates to Alstom's problems, but this is false. Alstom's issues predate the government's decision and the hon. Gentleman's attempt to play party politics is beneath him.

Not addressed: Questions about urgent meetings and job losses were not directly addressed

How: He Tried To Divert Attention By Questioning The Opposition Mp'S Motives.

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