Tom Harris may not have a Shadow ministerial role but he is still more than able to expose nonsense from the Government front bench.
This extraordinary written response to a Harris PQ given in the House yesterday:
Tom Harris (Glasgow South, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for use of Pendolino rolling stock for service on the East Coast Main Line; and what assumptions were made about the availability of rolling stock when the East Coast Main Line 2011 timetable was being prepared.
Theresa Villiers (Minister of State (Rail and Aviation), Transport; Chipping Barnet, Conservative)
We are aware of discussions that Directly Operated Railways have had about the use of a new Pendolino set on the east coast main line. This is an operational matter for Directly Operated Railways.
Additional rolling stock is not required for the operation of the May 2011 east coast timetable, which has been developed on the assumption that it will be operated using the existing east coast fleet.
So Villiers and her officials are claiming that the discussions about commissioning a new Pendolino on the East Coast Main Line was all Rail Barbie's idea and her's alone?
Eye does not believe this for one moment.
It is inconceivable that these discussions could have taken place without support from the highest level within DfT - after all Marsham Street is paying for the new trains.
How quickly the Saviour of the Jammy Dodger has become complicit in DafT's machinations!
Grimsby and Back
3 years ago
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