(2) when he last met representatives from (a) BAA and (b) the Competition Commission to discuss the sale of (i) Edinburgh and (ii) Glasgow airport.

(2) when he last met representatives from (a) BAA and (b) the Competition Commission to discuss the sale of (i) Edinburgh and (ii) Glasgow airport.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what progress has been made on the sale of (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh airports by BAA; when each such sale is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement;

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) what progress has been made on the sale of (a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh airports by BAA; when each such sale is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement;

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will extend the relaxation of enforcement of EU rules on drivers' hours in the Scottish Highlands and Islands to the week beginning 25 January 2010; and when he plans to make an announcement on future relaxations.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will extend the relaxation of enforcement of EU rules on drivers' hours in the Scottish Highlands and Islands to the week beginning 25 January 2010; and when he plans to make an announcement on future relaxations.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when his Department plans to announce which airports in the Highlands and Islands will introduce full body scanners; and when he expects such scanners to be operational.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when his Department plans to announce which airports in the Highlands and Islands will introduce full body scanners; and when he expects such scanners to be operational.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has undertaken an economic impact assessment of the introduction of full body scanners at airports in the Highlands and Islands.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether his Department has undertaken an economic impact assessment of the introduction of full body scanners at airports in the Highlands and Islands.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2009, Official Report, column 881W, on a London-Scotland high-speed rail link, what topics were discussed during the meeting on 24 April 2009; and whether any decisions on funding methodology for high-speed rail links were made...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2009, Official Report, column 881W, on a London-Scotland high-speed rail link, what topics were discussed during the meeting on 24 April 2009; and whether any decisions on funding methodology for high-speed rail links were made...

(2) whether he has made an assessment of the effects on (a) UK gross domestic product and (b) the regional economies of (i) the North West and (ii) the North East of a new high-speed line to each of these regions.

(2) whether he has made an assessment of the effects on (a) UK gross domestic product and (b) the regional economies of (i) the North West and (ii) the North East of a new high-speed line to each of these regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the effects on the Scottish economy of a new dedicated high-speed rail line from London to Edinburgh or Glasgow;

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the effects on the Scottish economy of a new dedicated high-speed rail line from London to Edinburgh or Glasgow;

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times he has met the Scottish Executive Minister to discuss proposals for a high-speed rail line to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times he has met the Scottish Executive Minister to discuss proposals for a high-speed rail line to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made for the purposes of policy formulation of the efficacy of the prohibition of wheel clamping on private land in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made for the purposes of policy formulation of the efficacy of the prohibition of wheel clamping on private land in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the new rail rolling stock recently announced by his Department will be suitable for use on routes north of Edinburgh which are served by the East Coast Main Line franchise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the new rail rolling stock recently announced by his Department will be suitable for use on routes north of Edinburgh which are served by the East Coast Main Line franchise.

(3) whether he has commissioned research on the provision of a new high speed rail link to Scotland.

(3) whether he has commissioned research on the provision of a new high speed rail link to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) demand for a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland and (b) the effect of such a rail link on levels of demand for domestic flights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of (a) demand for a high-speed rail link between London and Scotland and (b) the effect of such a rail link on levels of demand for domestic flights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the financial and planning implications of the recently announced improvements to the rail system from London to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the financial and planning implications of the recently announced improvements to the rail system from London to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of his Department's staff are working on a possible high speed rail line from London to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of his Department's staff are working on a possible high speed rail line from London to Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has met representatives of the Scottish Executive since his appointment to discuss high speed rail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has met representatives of the Scottish Executive since his appointment to discuss high speed rail.

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. The power is time-limited; the proposal is that the time should be limited to nine months, with the option of having a further three months thereafter. It is, in our opinion, highly unlikely that a transport operator would not be found, because...

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. The power is time-limited; the proposal is that the time should be limited to nine months, with the option of having a further three months thereafter. It is, in our opinion, highly unlikely that a transport operator would not be found, because...

We are making that provision in the Bill, and as I said, we will be consulting on our guidance and so on with trade unions and bus operators alike to take the provisions forward. They are clearly laid out on the face of the Bill to give a true minimum...

We are making that provision in the Bill, and as I said, we will be consulting on our guidance and so on with trade unions and bus operators alike to take the provisions forward. They are clearly laid out on the face of the Bill to give a true minimum...

This covers all employees who have been working under quality contract schemes. Let me turn finally to issues of unfair dismissal, particularly whether it is automatically unfair if an employee is dismissed by an operator who fails to win a quality contract. We do not believe that that constitutes unfair...

This covers all employees who have been working under quality contract schemes. Let me turn finally to issues of unfair dismissal, particularly whether it is automatically unfair if an employee is dismissed by an operator who fails to win a quality contract. We do not believe that that constitutes unfair...

This provision is for a time-limited period of nine months, plus three months as a further option, to get the contracts in place. Under the scheme, there is a period of time for the contract that was running, so it would be for the remainder of that period that this...

This provision is for a time-limited period of nine months, plus three months as a further option, to get the contracts in place. Under the scheme, there is a period of time for the contract that was running, so it would be for the remainder of that period that this...