Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Great British Railways Headquarters: Derby’s Bid

27 April 2022 · 5 other contributors · 7,881 words

Opened by Pauline Latham Con Mid Derbyshire

Responding minister: Wendy Morton

Transport

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Pauline Latham raised concerns about great british railways headquarters: derby’s bid in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about Derby hosting the Great British Railways headquarters, citing its central rail network location, rail innovation history, and extensive rail sector workforce.
  • Specific asks made for the government to choose Derby based on its unique rail industry strengths, aiming to foster private sector collaboration and support regional levelling up initiatives.
  • Minister responded by acknowledging Derby's rail heritage and outlining criteria for evaluating headquarters bids, including alignment with levelling-up objectives and public support.

Key requests to Government

I urge the Minister to choose Derby as the headquarters location based on its unique strengths and capabilities within the rail industry, which would foster closer collaboration with private sector businesses and contribute significantly to levelling up initiatives in the region.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Pauline Latham Con Mid Derbyshire

I am concerned about the potential benefits of hosting the Great British Railways headquarters in Derby. Derby is at the centre of the UK's rail network, has a rich history in rail innovation and engineering, houses over 11,000 rail sector employees, and is home to many rail engineering companies with an international reputation for excellence and innovation. The city continues to lead in rail decarbonisation efforts and offers extensive opportunities for apprenticeships and skills development.

Other contributors (5)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Commended the hon. Lady for her work on marriage legislation and connectivity in Derby, emphasising the importance of private sector partnership.

  • Lilian Greenwood Lab Nottingham South

    Supported Derby's bid by highlighting its innovative rail industry history and advocating for Great British Railways to benefit from this expertise. Mentioned that poor east-west transport connections could remind employees of the need for levelling up investment. Derby's history and importance of freight in the east midlands should be considered, as it brings knowledge about rail infrastructure, rolling stock, and interaction with freight customers which are unique to the region.

  • Margaret Beckett Lab Derby South

    Margaret Beckett highlighted the strong rail history, present strength, and future potential of Derby. She emphasised the unique combination of history, skills, community understanding, and geographical location that makes Derby an ideal headquarters site for Great British Railways. Beckett also pointed out the importance of partnerships within the city and across the country, as well as the innovative research and development opportunities available in Derby. The hon. Member mentioned a march where people from Derby showed their strong support for the rail industry, including different generations of families working in it.

  • Caroline Wheeler Con South Derbyshire

    The Member for South Derbyshire welcomed her hon. Friend's passionate campaign for Derby to host the Great British Railways headquarters, highlighting the city's rich rail history and its importance in future innovation.

  • Tan Dhesi Lab Slough

    He congratulated Derby on its bid for the Great British Railways headquarters and highlighted Derby's rich railway history and current engineering excellence. He praised the cross-party support from Derbyshire MPs but noted that Slough did not make the cut despite its own strong case. Dhesi expressed concerns about the current Government's inadequate industrial strategy, which favours free markets over long-term planning. He called for vision, investment, and political will to address challenges such as Brexit, the pandemic, energy prices, war in Europe, and climate change.

Government Response

Wendy Morton

Responded to points made about the Great British Railways (GBR) headquarters competition, acknowledging the passion and engagement of Members for their towns and cities. Emphasised Derby's rail heritage, outlined criteria for evaluating bids, including alignment with levelling-up objectives and public support. Noted that GBR will have a national headquarters outside London and regional divisions accountable to local communities. Discussed partnerships, innovation in rail sector, importance of freight, and the impact of cost-of-living measures such as ticket sales. Highlighted reforms under Williams-Shapps plan for rail aimed at transforming railways with new national flexi-season tickets and emergency recovery measures transitioning to new contracts.

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