I am today announcing an independent review of the transport sector’s response to the severe weather experienced this winter 2009-10 and lessons for the future. The winter of 2009-10 has seen the most prolonged period of sub-zero temperatures for 30 years, creating extremely challenging conditions for the travelling public. For...

I am today announcing an independent review of the transport sector’s response to the severe weather experienced this winter 2009-10 and lessons for the future. The winter of 2009-10 has seen the most prolonged period of sub-zero temperatures for 30 years, creating extremely challenging conditions for the travelling public. For...

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, has made the following ministerial statement:"I am announcing today an independent review of the transport sector's response to the severe weather experienced this winter 2009-10 and lessons for the future.""The winter of 2009-10 has seen the...

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, has made the following ministerial statement:"I am announcing today an independent review of the transport sector's response to the severe weather experienced this winter 2009-10 and lessons for the future.""The winter of 2009-10 has seen the...

Adjournment debate on road gritting.

Adjournment debate on road gritting.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on securing this timely debate on the gritting of our roads. I know that she is a tireless champion for her constituents in West Lancashire. I know, too, that she has raised the matter with the Leader of...

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on securing this timely debate on the gritting of our roads. I know that she is a tireless champion for her constituents in West Lancashire. I know, too, that she has raised the matter with the Leader of...

I know my hon. Friend is frustrated by the prospect of her constituents having to take legal action, but that is, of course, one obvious route that they could take if they remained dissatisfied with the operation of their local authority in respect of the discharge of its responsibilities. At...

I know my hon. Friend is frustrated by the prospect of her constituents having to take legal action, but that is, of course, one obvious route that they could take if they remained dissatisfied with the operation of their local authority in respect of the discharge of its responsibilities. At...

I welcome this opportunity to debate the issue of gritting. It is simply incredible that in the 21st century my constituency was virtually brought to a standstill, people were trapped in their homes and businesses stopped trading, all because of snow, ice and the failure of Lancashire county council to...

I welcome this opportunity to debate the issue of gritting. It is simply incredible that in the 21st century my constituency was virtually brought to a standstill, people were trapped in their homes and businesses stopped trading, all because of snow, ice and the failure of Lancashire county council to...

Does the hon. Lady accept that the Department for Transport should bear some responsibility for the problem, given that it took from August to December to respond to the LGA inquiry about the need for greater grit stocks to be held by local authorities?

Does the hon. Lady accept that the Department for Transport should bear some responsibility for the problem, given that it took from August to December to respond to the LGA inquiry about the need for greater grit stocks to be held by local authorities?

I do not accept that in any way. Anyone who gets paid more than the Prime Minister should come to work in the morning with a dose of common sense, not to mention be capable of buying some grit. I am sure that the Minister will make the point that...

I do not accept that in any way. Anyone who gets paid more than the Prime Minister should come to work in the morning with a dose of common sense, not to mention be capable of buying some grit. I am sure that the Minister will make the point that...

Before the Minister reaches any conclusions, I would like to ask him a question. He talks about the responsibility of the local authorities, but who monitors that? Who says whether the performance is good or not? I must draw his attention back to West Lancashire and, for example, the new...

Before the Minister reaches any conclusions, I would like to ask him a question. He talks about the responsibility of the local authorities, but who monitors that? Who says whether the performance is good or not? I must draw his attention back to West Lancashire and, for example, the new...

My hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire made it very clear, as have I, that the legislation puts the onus on the local authorities to be responsible. They knew what the contents of the UK Roads Liaison Group's review recommended; they did not need us to tell them to...

My hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire made it very clear, as have I, that the legislation puts the onus on the local authorities to be responsible. They knew what the contents of the UK Roads Liaison Group's review recommended; they did not need us to tell them to...

In hindsight, would it have been advisable for the Department to have responded more promptly to those recommendations so that local authorities could have acted with the support of the Department rather than sticking their necks out and possibly holding big supplies of salt in advance of what might have...

In hindsight, would it have been advisable for the Department to have responded more promptly to those recommendations so that local authorities could have acted with the support of the Department rather than sticking their necks out and possibly holding big supplies of salt in advance of what might have...

The code of practice encourages authorities regularly to review their winter service strategies, as I know my hon. Friend thinks they should. The code also recognises that local authorities might need to prioritise the roads to be cleared of snow and ice, and it recommends that they keep road users...

The code of practice encourages authorities regularly to review their winter service strategies, as I know my hon. Friend thinks they should. The code also recognises that local authorities might need to prioritise the roads to be cleared of snow and ice, and it recommends that they keep road users...

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps have been taken since 4 February 2009 to ensure that local authorities have adequate supplies of road salt.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps have been taken since 4 February 2009 to ensure that local authorities have adequate supplies of road salt.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will meet representatives of United Kingdom restaurant owners and managers to discuss providing information to customers on salt content in dishes.

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will meet representatives of United Kingdom restaurant owners and managers to discuss providing information to customers on salt content in dishes.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many tonnes of salt are held by each local authority in England.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many tonnes of salt are held by each local authority in England.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what consideration his Department has given to the effects on the environment of the use of (a) grit and (b) salt to remedy the effects of cold weather conditions on the roads.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what consideration his Department has given to the effects on the environment of the use of (a) grit and (b) salt to remedy the effects of cold weather conditions on the roads.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will take steps to ensure that all House of Commons food outlets mark salt awareness week from 1 to 7 February 2010; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will take steps to ensure that all House of Commons food outlets mark salt awareness week from 1 to 7 February 2010; and if he will make a statement.

I totally agree. I think that salt awareness is very important indeed. We want to make sure that there is less fat, sugar and salt in our food. This is an important public health issue, and something on which the Government and the health authorities need to take action. That...

I totally agree. I think that salt awareness is very important indeed. We want to make sure that there is less fat, sugar and salt in our food. This is an important public health issue, and something on which the Government and the health authorities need to take action. That...

Is the Leader of the House aware that next week is salt awareness week? If we cannot have debate on that, will she tell the House what recent representations Ministers have made to the food industry about the desirability of reducing salt levels in its products? Does she agree that...

Is the Leader of the House aware that next week is salt awareness week? If we cannot have debate on that, will she tell the House what recent representations Ministers have made to the food industry about the desirability of reducing salt levels in its products? Does she agree that...