Privatisation — 6 Nov 2000

I beg to move,

That this House notes public concern about the effects of railway privatisation and about current plans to privatise National Air Traffic Services and London Underground and opposes the dogmatic pursuit of privatisation in public services.

is not the answer to give BR access to the private markets to increase investment and to give private services access to the rail network to increase competition?--[ Official Report , 15 October 1991; Vol. 196, c. 148.]

if you have a camera handy, there's a chance to record a rare sighting of a Circle Line train in its natural habitat.

Air traffic control is all about safety, which must be paramount.--[ Official Report , 20 December 1999; Vol. 341, c. 535.]

Our air is not for sale.

Liberal Democrats agreed with him then, and we continue to agree with that sentiment. We have seen no evidence to justify changing our mind.

the Government's pragmatic policy of developing Public Private Partnerships for National Air Traffic Services and the London Underground.

dealing with things sensibly and realistically.

I beg to move, To leave out from "House" to the end of the Question, and to add instead thereof:

"deplores the previous Government's incompetent privatisation of the railways which left the network fragmented, cost taxpayers billions of pounds and brought rail travellers hours of delays; welcomes the Government's creation of the Strategic Rail Authority to give direction to the industry from an industry-wide perspective rather than from the narrow interests of individual companies; recognises that the Government's 10-year plan is delivering the largest investment programme for the railways for generations to tackle the problems caused by years of under-investment in the public and private sectors; welcomes the Government's pragmatic policy of developing Public Private Partnerships for National Air Traffic Services and the London Underground, enabling much needed investment and private sector financial and management skills to be introduced to the public services while safeguarding safety and the public interest; and regrets the official Opposition's dogmatic pursuit of privatisation for the London Underground and the National Air Traffic Services."

The current proposal for a public-private partnership for NATS is, in our view, the worst of all the possible options.

recognises the special effort made by Government in ensuring that safety is managed centrally and rests ultimately in public sector hands.

Labour will improve the Underground and guarantee value for money for taxpayers and passengers.

half baked and either naive or dishonest

towards the bottom of the list of options

poor transport is jeopardising strong jobs growth in central London,

to maximise the proceeds to the Treasury. It was not designed to optimise safety, optimise investment or, indeed, cope with the huge increase in the number of passengers.

retain London Underground in public ownership and give it the right to seek private finance for new investment without an assured government guarantee.

Treble the freight and double the number of passengers carried on Britain's railways by the year 2010.

require Railtrack to meet targets for greater investment and increased passenger and freight traffic

strengthen the powers of the rail regulators.

withhold public subsidies from Railtrack if the targets are not met.

I acknowledge readily that credit must be given to the railway industry for the advances made in safety management in recent times. Indeed, the number of signals passed at danger has been reduced significantly. I am pleased that Railtrack felt able to announce earlier this month that the number of broken rails in the half year in question, compared with the previous period, had declined by 32 per cent.--[ Official Report, House of Lords , 19 October 2000; Vol. 617, c. 1201.]

Increases in fuel duty, and motorway tolling, will help people to make . . . informed choices--[ Official Report , 30 March 1994; Vol. 240, c. 930.]

Private enterprise given its head to build toll roads could get Britain back on the move.

the severe cuts in operating costs and investment are inconsistent with the proper carrying out of its functions--

prime duty . . . the safe provision of air traffic control.

welcomes the Government's policy of developing Public Private Partnerships for National Air Traffic Services and the London Underground.

Question , That the Question be now put, put and agreed to.

Question put accordingly, That the original words stand part of the Question:--

The House divided: Ayes 43, Noes 272.

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All Votes Cast - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

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NameConstituencyPartyVote
Anne McIntoshVale of YorkCon (front bench)no
Mr Martin BellTattonIndependentaye
Mrs Irene AdamsPaisley NorthLab (minister)no
Nick AingerCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireLabno
Bob AinsworthCoventry North EastLab (minister)no
Douglas AlexanderPaisley SouthLabno
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLab (minister)no
Mr Donald AndersonSwansea EastLab (minister)no
Janet AndersonRossendale and DarwenLab (minister)no
Hilary ArmstrongNorth West DurhamLab (minister)no
Mr Joe AshtonBassetlawLabno
Ms Candy AthertonFalmouth and CamborneLabno
Charlotte AtkinsStaffordshire MoorlandsLabno
John AustinErith and ThamesmeadLabno
Mr Tony BanksWest HamLab (minister)no
Mr Harry BarnesNorth East DerbyshireLabno
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
John BattleLeeds WestLab (minister)no
Mr Nigel BeardBexleyheath and CrayfordLabno
Margaret BeckettDerby SouthLab (minister)no
Stuart BellMiddlesbroughLab (minister)no
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)no
Joe BentonBootleLabno
Mr Gerry BerminghamSt Helens SouthLabno
Roger BerryKingswoodLabno
Mr Harold BestLeeds North WestLabno
Clive BettsSheffield, AttercliffeLab (minister)tellno
Liz BlackmanErewashLabno
Bob BlizzardWaveneyLabno
David BlunkettSheffield, BrightsideLab (minister)no
Mr Paul BoatengBrent SouthLab (minister)no
Mr Keith BradleyManchester, WithingtonLab (minister)no
Mr Peter BradleyThe WrekinLabno
Ben BradshawExeterLab (minister)no
Des BrowneKilmarnock and LoudounLabno
Richard BurdenBirmingham, NorthfieldLabno
Colin BurgonElmetLabno
Mrs Christine ButlerCastle PointLabno
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)no
Mrs Anne CampbellCambridgeLabno
Ronnie CampbellBlyth ValleyLab (minister)no
Mr Dale Campbell-SavoursWorkingtonLab (minister)no
Mr Ivor CaplinHoveLabno
Mr Roger CasaleWimbledonLabno
Martin CatonGowerLab (minister)no
Ian CawseyBrigg and GooleLabno
David ChaytorBury NorthLabno
Dr David ClarkSouth ShieldsLabno
Ms Helen ClarkPeterboroughLabno
Paul ClarkGillinghamLabno
Charles ClarkeNorwich SouthLab (minister)no
Mr Eric ClarkeMidlothianLabno
Tom ClarkeCoatbridge and ChrystonLabno
Mr Tony ClarkeNorthampton SouthLabno
Ann ClwydCynon ValleyLab (minister)no
Ann CoffeyStockportLabno
Mr Iain ColemanHammersmith and FulhamLabno
Michael ConnartyFalkirk EastLab (minister)no
Frank CookStockton NorthLabno
Yvette CooperPontefract and CastlefordLab (minister)no
Mr Robin CorbettBirmingham, ErdingtonLab (minister)no
Ms Jean CorstonBristol EastLabno
Jim CousinsNewcastle upon Tyne CentralLabno
Professor Ross CranstonDudley NorthLab (minister)no
Ann CryerKeighleyLabno
John CummingsEasingtonLabno
Dr Jack CunninghamCopelandLabno
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLab (minister)no
Mr Tam DalyellLinlithgowLabno
Alistair DarlingEdinburgh CentralLab (minister)no
Mrs Valerie DaveyBristol WestLabno
Ian DavidsonGlasgow PollokLab (minister)no
Geraint DaviesCroydon CentralLab (minister)no
Mr Terry DavisBirmingham, Hodge HillLabno
John DenhamSouthampton, ItchenLab (minister)no
Frank DobsonHolborn and St PancrasLabno
Frank DoranAberdeen CentralLabno
Jim DowdLewisham WestLab (minister)tellno
David DrewStroudLab (minister)no
Angela EagleWallaseyLab (minister)no
Maria EagleLiverpool, GarstonLabno
Mr Huw EdwardsMonmouthLabno
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)no
Louise EllmanLiverpool, RiversideLabno
Jeff EnnisBarnsley East and MexboroughLabno
Bill EtheringtonSunderland NorthLabno
Frank FieldBirkenheadLabno
Mark FisherStoke-on-Trent CentralLabno
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and Canning TownLabno
Ms Lorna FitzsimonsRochdaleLabno
Caroline FlintDon ValleyLabno
Paul FlynnNewport WestLabno
Barbara FollettStevenageLabno
Michael Jabez FosterHastings and RyeLabno
Mr George FoulkesCarrick, Cumnock and Doon ValleyLab (minister)no
Mrs Maria FyfeGlasgow MaryhillLabno
Mike GapesIlford SouthLab (minister)no
Bruce GeorgeWalsall SouthLabno
Ian GibsonNorwich NorthLabno
Roger GodsiffBirmingham, Sparkbrook and Small HeathLabno
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLabno
Mrs Llin GoldingNewcastle-under-LymeLabno
Mrs Eileen GordonRomfordLabno
Ms Jane GriffithsReading EastLabno
Nigel GriffithsEdinburgh SouthLabno
Mr Win GriffithsBridgendLabno
Mr Bruce GrocottTelfordLabno
John GroganSelbyLab (minister)no
Peter HainNeathLabno
Mike HallWeaver ValeLab (minister)no
Patrick HallBedfordLabno
David HansonDelynLab (minister)no
John HealeyWentworthLabno
Doug HendersonNewcastle upon Tyne NorthLabno
Mr Ivan HendersonHarwichLabno
John HeppellNottingham EastLabno
Patricia HewittLeicester WestLab (minister)no
Keith HillStreathamLab (minister)no
Margaret HodgeBarkingLab (minister)no
Phil HopeCorbyLabno
George HowarthKnowsley North and Sefton EastLab (minister)no
Kim HowellsPontypriddLab (minister)no
Lindsay HoyleChorleyLab (minister)no
Beverley HughesStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)no
Mr Kevin HughesDoncaster NorthLab (minister)no
Mr Alan HurstBraintreeLabno
John HuttonBarrow and FurnessLab (minister)no
Brian IddonBolton South EastLabno
Eric IllsleyBarnsley CentralLabno
Mrs Helen JacksonSheffield, HillsboroughLabno
Mr David JamiesonPlymouth, DevonportLab (minister)no
Brian JenkinsTamworthLabno
Alan JohnsonKingston upon Hull West and HessleLab (minister)no
Mr Barry JonesAlyn and DeesideLabno
Fiona JonesNewarkLabno
Helen JonesWarrington NorthLab (minister)no
Martyn JonesClwyd SouthLabno
Tessa JowellDulwich and West NorwoodLab (minister)no
Gerald KaufmanManchester, GortonLab (minister)no
Sally KeebleNorthampton NorthLabno
Alan KeenFeltham and HestonLabno
Ann KeenBrentford and IsleworthLabno
Fraser KempHoughton and Washington EastLabno
Jane KennedyLiverpool, WavertreeLab (minister)no
Piara S KhabraEaling, SouthallLabno
David KidneyStaffordLabno
Ms Oona KingBethnal Green and BowLab (minister)no
Ashok KumarMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLabno
Stephen LadymanSouth ThanetLabno
David LammyTottenhamLabno
Bob LaxtonDerby NorthLabno
David LepperBrighton, PavilionLabno
Chris LeslieShipleyLabno
Tom LevittHigh PeakLabno
Mr Terry LewisWorsleyLabno
Mrs Helen LiddellAirdrie and ShottsLab (minister)no
Martin LintonBatterseaLabno
Tony LloydManchester CentralLabno
Andrew LoveEdmontonLab (minister)no
Mr Calum MacDonaldNa h-Eileanan an IarLabno
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLabno
Gordon MarsdenBlackpool SouthLab (minister)no
David MarshallGlasgow ShettlestonLabno
Dr Jim MarshallLeicester SouthLabno
Eric MartlewCarlisleLabno
Mr John MaxtonGlasgow CathcartLabno
Thomas McAvoyGlasgow RutherglenLab (minister)no
Steve McCabeBirmingham, Hall GreenLab (minister)no
Chris McCaffertyCalder ValleyLabno
Siobhain McDonaghMitcham and MordenLabno
Anne McGuireStirlingLab (minister)no
Shona McIsaacCleethorpesLabno
Mr Tony McWalterHemel HempsteadLabno
Mr John McWilliamBlaydonLabno
Alan MealeMansfieldLab (minister)no
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLabno
Alan MilburnDarlingtonLab (minister)no
Austin MitchellGreat GrimsbyLab (minister)no
Laura MoffattCrawleyLabno
Dr Lewis MoonieKirkcaldyLab (minister)no
Margaret MoranLuton SouthLabno
Julie MorganCardiff NorthLabno
Elliot MorleyScunthorpeLab (minister)no
Sir John MorrisAberavonLabno
Kali MountfordColne ValleyLabno
Dr Mo MowlamRedcarLab (minister)no
Chris MullinSunderland SouthLab (minister)no
Denis MurphyWansbeckLabno
Jim MurphyEast RenfrewshireLab (minister)no
Doug NaysmithBristol North WestLabno
Dan NorrisWansdykeLabno
Mr Bill O'BrienNormantonLabno
Mike O'BrienNorth WarwickshireLab (minister)no
Edward O'HaraKnowsley SouthLabno
Bill OlnerNuneatonLabno
Mrs Diana OrganForest of DeanLabno
Sandra OsborneAyrLabno
Nick PalmerBroxtoweLabno
Ian PearsonDudley SouthLabno
Mr Tom PendryStalybridge and HydeLabno
Mr Colin PickthallWest LancashireLabno
Mr Peter PikeBurnleyLabno
James PlaskittWarwick and LeamingtonLabno
Mr Kerry PollardSt AlbansLabno
Greg PopeHyndburnLab (minister)no
Steve PoundEaling NorthLab (minister)no
Mr Raymond PowellOgmoreLabno
Bridget PrenticeLewisham EastLabno
Gwyn ProsserDoverLabno
Ms Joyce QuinGateshead East and Washington WestLab (minister)no
Mr Lawrie QuinnScarborough and WhitbyLabno
Mr Giles RadiceNorth DurhamLab (minister)no
Bill RammellHarlowLabno
Mr Syd RapsonPortsmouth NorthLabno
Geoffrey RobinsonCoventry North WestLabno
Mrs Barbara RocheHornsey and Wood GreenLab (minister)no
Mr Allan RogersRhonddaLabno
Mr Jeff RookerBirmingham, Perry BarrLab (minister)no
Terry RooneyBradford NorthLabno
Mr Ernie RossDundee WestLabno
Mr Ted RowlandsMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLab (minister)no
Chris RuaneVale of ClwydLab (minister)no
Joan RuddockLewisham, DeptfordLabno
Christine RussellCity of ChesterLabno
Mohammad SarwarGlasgow GovanLabno
Mr Malcolm SavidgeAberdeen NorthLabno
Mr Phil SawfordKetteringLabno
Mr Brian SedgemoreHackney South and ShoreditchLabno
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLab (minister)no
Mr Robert SheldonAshton-under-LyneLab (minister)no
Clare ShortBirmingham, LadywoodLab (minister)no
Andrew SmithOxford EastLab (minister)no
Angela SmithBasildonLabno
Jacqui SmithRedditchLab (minister)no
John SmithVale of GlamorganLabno
Mr Clive SoleyEaling, Acton and Shepherd's BushLab (minister)no
Helen SouthworthWarrington SouthLabno
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)no
Rachel SquireDunfermline WestLabno
Phyllis StarkeyMilton Keynes South WestLabno
Mr Gerry SteinbergCity of DurhamLabno
Mr George StevensonStoke-on-Trent SouthLabno
Mr David StewartInverness East, Nairn and LochaberLabno
Ian StewartEcclesLabno
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)no
Gerry SutcliffeBradford SouthLab (minister)no
Mrs Ann TaylorDewsburyLab (minister)no
Mr Peter Temple-MorrisLeominsterwhilst Labno
Gareth ThomasHarrow WestLab (minister)no
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)no
Paddy TippingSherwoodLab (minister)no
Don TouhigIslwynLab (minister)no
Jon TrickettHemsworthLabno
Paul TruswellPudseyLabno
Neil TurnerWiganLabno
Derek TwiggHaltonLabno
Stephen TwiggEnfield, SouthgateLab (minister)no
Mr Bill TynanHamilton SouthLabno
Rudi VisFinchley and Golders GreenLabno
Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent NorthLab (minister)no
Claire WardWatfordLabno
Mr Brian WhiteNorth East Milton KeynesLabno
Alan WhiteheadSouthampton, TestLabno
Malcolm WicksCroydon NorthLab (minister)no
Dr Alan WilliamsCarmarthen East and DinefwrLabno
Alan WilliamsSwansea WestLabno
Betty WilliamsConwyLabno
David WinnickWalsall NorthLab (minister)no
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLabno
Mike WoodBatley and SpenLabno
Shaun WoodwardWitneywhilst Labno
Mr Tony WorthingtonClydebank and MilngavieLabno
Anthony D WrightGreat YarmouthLabno
Tony WrightCannock ChaseLabno
Mr Richard AllanSheffield, HallamLDem (front bench)aye
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)aye
Mrs Jackie BallardTauntonLDemaye
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)aye
Tom BrakeCarshalton and WallingtonLDem (front bench)aye
Dr Peter BrandIsle of WightLDemaye
Colin BreedSouth East CornwallLDemaye
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDem (front bench)aye
Vincent CableTwickenhamLDem (front bench)aye
Menzies CampbellNorth East FifeLDem (front bench)aye
Mr David ChidgeyEastleighLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Brian CotterWeston-Super-MareLDem (front bench)aye
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Don FosterBathLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)aye
Sandra GidleyRomseyLDemaye
Mike HancockPortsmouth SouthLDem (front bench)aye
Evan HarrisOxford West and AbingdonLDemaye
Nick HarveyNorth DevonLDem (front bench)aye
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)tellaye
Simon HughesNorth Southwark and BermondseyLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Nigel JonesCheltenhamLDem (front bench)aye
Paul KeetchHerefordLDemaye
Charles KennedyRoss, Skye and Inverness WestLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Richard LivseyBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)aye
Mr Robert MaclennanCaithness, Sutherland and Easter RossLDemaye
Mrs Ray MichieArgyll and ButeLDemaye
Michael MooreTweeddale, Ettrick and LauderdaleLDem (front bench)aye
Mark OatenWinchesterLDemaye
Lembit ÖpikMontgomeryshireLDemaye
Mr David RendelNewburyLDemaye
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)aye
Adrian SandersTorbayLDem (front bench)aye
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDem (front bench)tellaye
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDem (front bench)aye
Matthew TaylorTruro and St AustellLDem (front bench)aye
Dr Jenny TongeRichmond ParkLDemaye
Mr Paul TylerNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)aye
Steve WebbNorthavonLDem (front bench)aye
Phil WillisHarrogate and KnaresboroughLDem (front bench)aye
Elfyn LlwydMeirionnydd Nant ConwyPC (front bench)aye
Mr Simon ThomasCeredigionPCaye
Mr Dafydd WigleyCaernarfonPCaye
Alasdair MorganGalloway and Upper NithsdaleSNPaye

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