Christopher Pincher announces Commons debate on HS2
Christopher Pincher, Member of Parliament for Hints, Hopwas & Tamworth, has called for a full debate in the House of Commons on plans for the High Speed (HS2) rail link. During Business Questions with the Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young MP who is responsible for parliamentary business, Mr. Pincher drew attention to a petition, organised by anti-HS2 campaigners across the country, calling on parliament to debate to issue.
Mr. Pincher said:
“I welcome my right hon. Friend’s (Sir George Young MP) comments about the e-petition initiative, but can he arrange for a statement to describe how the paper-based petitions signed by more than 100,000 people that call for a debate on High Speed 2 can be qualified as an e-petition, so that the issue might be debated in this Chamber and so that the many thousands of people who perhaps do not have access to the internet do not feel disfranchised?”
Sir George answered positively:
“That is primarily a matter for the Backbench Business Committee, but my understanding is that if somebody goes along on a Tuesday morning and says that they are speaking on behalf of a petition, it will be neutral whether the 100,000 signatures are on an e-petition or an ink-and-pen petition. I am sure that the process is neutral, but it does require somebody to be present on a Tuesday morning to place the bid.”
Natascha Engel MP, Chairman of the Backbench Business Committee to which Sir George referred indicated her agreement at this point and Sir George went on:
“I am happy to see the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee nodding in assent at the principle of the equality of treatment that I have enunciated.”
After the debate Mr. Pincher said:
“A number of people told me they were concerned at reports that a pen and ink petition would not be considered for debate in the Commons in the same way as the government’s new E-petition initiative. However, I am pleased Sir George has confirmed that it can be.
“There are clearly huge problems with the HS2 business case – I do not think the proposals presented stack up. So we need to debate the alternatives in the House of Commons.”
Following his call, the Backbench Business Committee has now announced there will be a full debate on HS2 in the House of Commons on 13th October. MPs will be given a chance to make their views on the issue clear ahead of any legislation on HS2 which is not anticipated until at least 2013. The Transport Secretary is currently preparing to review the results of the public consultation exercise that ended in July.
