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PRESS RELEASE : Government increases hearing capacity to speed up immigration cases [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 8 December 2022.

Thousands more immigration cases will be heard over the next few months, speeding up decisions on removing people with no right to be in the UK.
increased capacity for immigration and asylum tribunals to hear up to 9,000 more cases

appeals often follow decisions by Home Office on asylum and deportation

investment will reduce waiting time for thousands of legal decisions

By increasing the number of days tribunals can operate, backed by £5 million of government investment, up to 9,000 more immigration and asylum cases will be heard before the end of March.

This will speed up the process for people waiting for their cases to be heard and reduce the waiting time for legal decisions. This includes appeals to the tribunal on cases from failed asylum seekers, for example those have made Channel crossings if the Home Office has denied their initial asylum claim as well as those claiming that being forced to leave the UK would breach their human rights.

Allowing judges in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber to hear more cases will help address the 25,000 cases currently in the system.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said:

This investment will allow judges to hear many more cases across our immigration and asylum tribunals over the next 3 months.

It means decisions can be made more quickly, helping us tackle the backlog, ensure justice is served, and remove those who are not eligible.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick MP said:

Additional asylum and immigration cases being heard in the courts is hugely welcomed and is an important part of the government’s effort to tackle illegal immigration.

Faster decisions will enable us to speed up the removal of those with no right to be here, strengthen deterrence against those seeking to abuse our system and focus our efforts on those in genuine need.

The decision follows the nationwide rollout of asylum casework pilot by the Home Office which successfully cut the wait time for first interviews by 40 percent and increased decisions.

The increase on days the judges can operate also applies to Employment Tribunals, with a £2.85 million investment to allow up to 1,700 more cases to come before judges before by the end of March 2023.

In total, as many as 10,700 extra immigration and employment cases could be heard in the next 3 months, funded by the total £8 million of investment.

It comes after the Crown Court was also allowed to work at full capacity for the second year in a row – meaning more trials can take place and ensure victims have the swifter justice they deserve.
08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : 10 days to claim pension credit and qualify for extra £324 [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 8 December 2022.
- Minister for Pensions Laura Trott urges pensioners to check if they qualify for Pension Credit
- Claims can be made online and over the phone, with the Pension Credit calculator on hand to help pensioners see if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive.
Minister for Pensions Laura Trott is today calling on pensioners across the country to check if they are entitled to Pension Credit as soon as possible to ensure they stand the best chance of qualifying for an extra £324 cost of living payment.

Checking eligibility and applying by 18 December 2022 – just ten days away – will mean pensioners could also receive a £324 boost thanks to Pension Credit backdating rules.

This is because successful Pension Credit claims can be backdated for up to 3 months – as long as the applicant was also eligible to receive it during that time. The average Pension Credit award is worth over £3,500 a year and even a small Pension Credit award can provide access to a wide range of other benefits – such as help with housing costs, council tax or heating bills – in addition to the extra cost of living payments.

Minister for Pensions Laura Trott said:

The run up to Christmas is always a busy time, but one thing to make sure that’s on your list over the coming days is to find out whether you or your loved ones could be eligible for Pension Credit.

Pension Credit can make a real difference and I am determined to make sure this support – worth an average of £3,500 per year – is reaching everyone who needs it.

Pension Credit is designed to help people over State Pension age and on a low income with daily living costs, though you do not need to be in receipt of State Pension to receive it.

It tops up a person’s income to a minimum of £182.60 per week for single pensioners and to £278.70 for couples.
To ensure that a successful backdated claim falls within the qualifying period for the extra £324 cost of living help, eligible pensioners are being urged to claim Pension Credit as soon as possible, and by no later than 18 December 2022.

Currently, around 1.4 million pensioners in Britain receive Pension Credit. However, many are still not claiming this extra financial help.

One of those who recently claimed is Arthur from Lincolnshire. After learning about Pension Credit from his neighbour, Arthur successfully applied by calling the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.

Arthur said:

Highly delighted with the Pension Credit award we received – the money was quicker arriving than expected and all in all very pleased with the result. I’d really encourage other pensioners to check if they’re eligible – it’s made a real difference to me.

Pension Credit can be claimed by phone and online, ensuring that older people can apply safely and easily, wherever they are. The online Pension Credit calculator is also on hand to help pensioners check if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive.
08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Facilitating civil society access to enrich the work of the UN [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

Statement by Rebecca Russo, UK Senior Policy Advisor, at the ECOSOC meeting on non-governmental organizations.

Thank you Madam President,

The UK welcomes the decision tabled by the United States to provide accreditation to these nine additional NGOs. These are legitimate NGOs that have faced repeated arbitrary deferrals for politicised reasoning for years, one as long as 14 years! This is despite adequately answering every, often repetitive question. Such endless deferrals demonstrate that some Committee members continue to abuse its working methods – yet another example of reprisals against NGOs seeking to work with the UN. We are therefore grateful that these NGOs have been brought forward for decision.

We were disappointed by the extensive misinformation that was spread ahead of today’s accreditation vote. ECOSOC is the parent body of the NGO Committee and therefore governs the Committee’s working methods. According to the rules and procedures, the Committee makes recommendations to ECOSOC for their consideration. Any suggestion that this decision bypasses or supersedes the NGO Committee is false. Tabling a decision in this way is a legitimate course of action with established precedent. The UK was therefore happy to cosponsor.

We would have preferred that such action not be required, that we could have worked fairly through the Committee. But the actions of a minority of member states have made it impossible for the Committee to work effectively, time and again.

Civil society voices are essential for the work we do at the UN and we will not tolerate attempts to shut them out.

We therefore encourage member states to vote in support of this decision.

08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary joins AUKUS partners in landmark first meeting [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 December 2022.

UK Defence leaders have visited Washington to hold talks with US and Australian partners.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles today for the first meeting of the AUKUS defence ministers.

AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership announced in September 2021, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Meeting at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., all three nations reiterated their shared commitment to the partnership and reviewed progress on identifying a conventionally armed, nuclear‑powered submarine for the Royal Australian Navy.

They also agreed plans for joint military exercises in 2023 and 2024 which will further enhance partners’ abilities to operate together.

UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace said:

This first trilateral meeting is a landmark moment in the AUKUS partnership.

AUKUS reflects the unique level of trust and cooperation the UK shares with its US and Australian partners, and I look forward to enhancing our technologies and capabilities together.

Discussions also covered the development of advanced capabilities including hypersonic weapons and undersea intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Richard Marles of Australia said:

AUKUS is a partnership built on trust, commitment and determination in the service of a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.

Together we hope to be able to progress developments in advanced capabilities and discuss the optimal pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said:

We announced this historic endeavor in September 2021, and the need for AUKUS is even clearer today.

More than ever, our three countries share a similar outlook on the key challenges and opportunities confronting our world.

The Defence Secretary and his counterparts also committed to continued transparency with international partners on AUKUS, emphasising that the partnership will complement existing security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific such as the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and engage closely with them.

A Joint Statement was issued following the meeting outlining AUKUS’ progress so far, as well as future commitments.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also conducted bilateral talks with his US and Australian counterparts.

Speaking with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Defence Secretary welcomed the publication of the new US National Defense Strategy which provides a narrative on Russia and China which strongly aligns with the UK’s own Integrated Review.

The Defence Secretary thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles for the decision to deploy Australian Defence Force personnel to the UK to support the UK-led training programme for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which will commence in January 2023. The pair also discussed opportunities for even greater defence collaboration between the UK and Australia, in addition to the AUKUS partnership.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, and the Ministry of Defence’ Permanent Secretary David Williams were also in Washington for the AUKUS trilateral meeting. Both had separate meetings with their counterparts to discuss US-UK nuclear cooperation, support to Ukraine, and progress on the AUKUS partnership.

08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Mortgage lenders’ commitments to borrowers [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Treasury on 7 December 2022.

Rising costs and interest rates across the economy are a cause of concern for consumers in many areas of their lives, but the government understands that mortgage borrowers may be particularly worried about increases to their monthly mortgage payment, which is likely to be their largest monthly outgoing payment.

Today, 7th December, the Chancellor met with leaders of the UK’s major mortgage lenders, the Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert. They discussed how lenders provide support for those who encounter problems paying their mortgage.

At the meeting, lenders committed to help all their customers by:
- enabling customers who are up to date with payments to switch to a new competitive, mortgage deal without another affordability test (see further information 1)
- providing well-timed information to help customers plan ahead should their current rate be due to end
- offering tailored support to those who start to struggle with payments which will vary by lender, but may include extending the term of the mortgage to make monthly payments lower, a short term reduction in monthly payments or accepting interest-only payments for a period where appropriate (see further information 2)
- ensuring highly trained and experienced staff are on hand to help where needed
The government confirmed:
- action to make Support for Mortgage Interest easier to access; if you are on Universal Credit you may be able to receive help with your mortgage interest payments after three months
- record levels of funding for the Money and Pensions Service to provide debt advice in England
The FCA announced:
- a consultation on draft guidance clarifying how lenders can support borrowers impacted by the rising cost of living
- information for borrowers on the options and support available if they are struggling with payment
Sound money and a stable economy are the best ways to deliver lower mortgage rates, more jobs and long-term growth. Economic stability relies on fiscal sustainability and the Autumn Statement delivered on 17th November puts the public finances onto a sustainable footing, with debt falling.

Mortgage lenders, the FCA and the government will continue working closely together to ensure that the mortgage market works well for all homeowners, in particular those facing financial difficulty. Discussions will continue to take place with lenders on what more they are able to do to inform and support their customers going forward. However, if you are worried about making your mortgage repayments, it is important to speak to your lender as soon as possible.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said:

“The major concern for people’s mortgages – and the knock-on impact of mortgage increases on rents – is the situation in the spring, when we expect interest rates to be higher, energy prices to be rising, and other cost of living impacts.

“So the most important thing is that now the conversations have started about what flexibility and forbearance measures can be put in place to help those struggling. The commitments today set a good direction, and after helpful conversations I’m hopeful that further progress will be made. For those worried about making mortgage repayments, the sooner you communicate with your lender the better.”

Debbie Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide Building Society, said:

“We are a mutual and helping members buy and stay in their home is central to what we do. We’ve reduced rates for those reaching the end of their deals so they can access a fixed rate below 5%, regardless of LTV or tenure. For additional support, our options include term extensions and forbearance tailored to individual circumstances. We’ve also given an additional £1 million to debt charities and partners to support people in financial hardship.”

David Duffy, CEO of Virgin Money, said:

“We know that many of our customers will have to make difficult decisions in the current economic environment, and we are being proactive in offering our support to those in need. Today’s commitments represent an important step in ensuring that consumers are well supported in the coming period.”

Matt Hammerstein, CEO of Barclays UK, said:

“We are committed to helping every borrower manage their repayments while adjusting to the current environment. The announcements made by the Government and mortgage lenders today to ensure support is available for those who may or do encounter challenges making mortgage payments, both now and in the future, are a critical part of that.

“At Barclays, we always work with our customers to find any feasible way to keep them in their home, which is why we have a dedicated team who are trained to offer dedicated and tailored support to each individual borrower, using a wide range of support options. We also have a variety of tools and information available to help customers directly manage their finances and stay in control, as we know some prefer to do that on their own, including information on what steps to take if they are struggling. We also know some customers may be more comfortable speaking to an independent third party, so we also help customers be in touch with our debt advice partners, including Citizens Advice, StepChange and the National Debtline.”

Mike Regnier, CEO of Santander UK, said:

“We welcome HM Treasury’s involvement to support mortgage borrowers through the challenges posed by the increase in cost of living and are keen to continue to work collaboratively with the Government, supervisors, and the wider industry on this issue.

“We remain fully committed to supporting customers who may face additional pressures on their finances over the months ahead.”

Alison Rose, CEO of NatWest Group, said

“Through these incredibly difficult times it is our priority to support people, families and businesses throughout the country and help navigate them through this economic uncertainty. We encourage anyone who is experiencing financial difficulty or is just worried about the future to get in touch and talk to us. We have highly trained colleagues who are there to listen, understand and work with them to find a way forward.

“Support for our customers will be tailored to their individual needs, and could include such things as forbearance, breathing space, repayment plans, or if it’s right and affordable for the customer, extending a mortgage term to spread payments or a temporary switch to an interest only mortgage. We have proactively contacted customers 8 million times so far this year to help them to get more control over their finances, and we will continue to play an active role in supporting customers and communities across the country.”

Jasjyot Singh OBE, CEO of Consumer Lending, Lloyds Banking Group, said:

“We’re committed to making homeowners feel supported in the coming months. We want to talk to anyone who feel like they might be facing difficulty so that we can find appropriate, tailored solutions. The earlier we talk to someone who might be struggling, the more tools we have to help. We will continue to work closely with the Government and the FCA to ensure the best support for our mortgage customers.”

Ian Stuart, CEO of HSBC UK, said:

“HSBC UK has a programme in place for proactively reviewing where hardship might be on the horizon, and helping prevent customers from falling into financial difficulty. We also work closely with customers already experiencing financial difficulty to understand their individual circumstances and identify the right solution for them.

“For mortgage customers experiencing financial difficulty we stand ready to help and have a number of options available that are tailored to individual circumstances. We would strongly encourage people not to wait until they are in financial difficulty before seeking help. The earlier they can engage with their lender the better.”

Sheldon Mills, Executive Director of Consumers and Competition at the FCA, said:

“Most borrowers are able to keep up with their mortgage payments and should continue to do so. But if you’re struggling to pay your mortgage, or are worried you might, you don’t need to struggle alone. Your lender has a range of tools available to help, so you should contact them as soon as possible.”

Further information

1 – Applies to 97% of the mortgage market, where customers are up to date with payments and not seeking to borrow more or change their repayment type or term.

2 – For some customer solutions there may be an impact on the borrower’s credit rating.
08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Urging all Sudanese parties to unite behind a civilian-led government [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Sudan.

Thank you President. And thank you also to SRSG Perthes for his briefing today and for the continued herculean efforts of UNITAMS. I also welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Sudan in our meeting

President, first, I would like to welcome the signing of the political framework agreement as an important step toward a return to a civilian-led transitional government in Sudan.

The efforts by all parties involved to agree on genuinely civilian-led transitional governance arrangements are commendable.

But, there is much more to be done. We now urge all Sudanese parties to urgently unite behind a final agreement to form a civilian-led government.

The United Kingdom condemns the killing of two more protestors in the reporting period and calls for the security forces to exercise maximum restraint and to respect the right to peaceful protest.

Second, we should be clear that the consequences of delay in reaching a final agreement would be severe.

Approximately one third of Sudan’s population is projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023. A concerted effort to finalise negotiations is essential to address Sudan’s urgent humanitarian and economic challenges.

A civilian-led transitional government can put the country on the road to recovery and allow for the full resumption of international support. The United Kingdom is working with partners to coordinate significant economic support to a civilian-led transitional government once it is formed.

Third, as SRSG Perthes told us, the security situation across Sudan also remains fragile. We reiterate our deep concern about the significant violence in Blue Nile State and West Kordofan.

We urge the Sudanese authorities to implement the security arrangements of the Juba Peace Agreement, engage with the impacted communities to restore peace, and fulfil their responsibility to protect civilians.

To conclude, President, the United Kingdom commends the compromises made by all parties to agree the initial political framework.

We call for an inclusive dialogue on the outstanding issues to commence without delay, and support a strong role for UNITAMS, along with the AU and IGAD, in facilitating these Sudanese-led negotiations.

The United Kingdom is committed to supporting Sudan’s journey to democracy, and the realisation of the Sudanese people’s calls for freedom, peace and justice.

And we hope that the Council will be able to give collective public expression to the latest developments in a Press Statement shortly.

Thank you.

08/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government to take no further action under NSI Act 2021 on Aveva group acquisition [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 7 December 2022.

The government has powers under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in qualifying acquisitions on national security grounds.

The acquisition by Ascot Acquisition Holdings Limited (an indirect subsidiary of Schneider Electric SE) of Aveva Group Plc was notified to the Investment Security Unit in October 2022.

Following screening of the notification, the Business Secretary has decided that no further action will be taken under the Act in relation to the acquisition.

08/12/2022
Louie French – 2022 Speech on Southeastern Railway Timetable Changes

The speech made by Louie French, the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons, on 6 December 2022.

Thank you for chairing, Ms Harris, and I thank the hon. Member for Eltham (Clive Efford) for securing this important debate. Although we often differ in our views, when it comes to Southeastern trains we share frustrations over the timetable changes that will come into force next week. On my first anniversary of being sworn into Parliament, local residents will not be surprised to see me standing up and fighting against Southeastern for them again today.

The issue of no consultation has been mentioned by several colleagues. The new Minister is already aware of how frustrated MPs and members of the public are over not being informed of the timetable changes by Southeastern until it was too late. In recent weeks, people in Bexley have experienced two transport shocks. First, Southeastern pushed through these changes under the guise that they are demand based, when they clearly go much further. Secondly, the Mayor of London ignored the wishes of the clear majority of Londoners who rejected his outrageous ULEZ—ultra low emission zone—tax raid on drivers in outer London. We have had no consultation on the trains, and a sham consultation by the Mayor. That helps explain my anger and that of local residents across Bexley.

The Minister and many Members here will be aware that, since Southeastern’s announcement in late September, I have been running a constituent survey on the timetable changes. The thousands of responses to the survey highlight that the most impactful changes are the reduction in Albany Park station services in my constituency, the loss of off-peak Charing Cross services on the Bexleyheath line—we have heard about that from colleagues already—and the loss of the loop service on the Sidcup line, which I will talk about in turn.

I echo the comments of my right hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Sir David Evennett) on the loss of off-peak Charing Cross services and the impact on passengers travelling to the west end for leisure and work. As someone who commuted to the City for more than a decade from the likes of Welling and Sidcup train stations, I can confirm that Cannon Street services at those times are of minimal benefit to local residents and will force thousands of passengers to change trains at London Bridge. That is of particular concern, given the impact on the more vulnerable residents in our communities and the general increase in travel times that they will experience. I hope that the Minister will at least explain what support Southeastern is putting in place in the short term to help passengers forced to change at London Bridge station.

The extent of the changes in the new timetable are arguably best reflected by the drastic, near 50% reduction in Albany Park services. Peak services have been reduced from seven trains per hour to four, and off-peak services from four trains per hour to two. That reduction has not only led to concerns about overcrowding and long waits in the event of cancellation, but resulted in the loss of direct services to Lewisham station, which is used by commuters from Albany Park to the DLR and Canary Wharf. I visited that station during my campaign against the timetable changes and I saw at first hand how busy it is, particularly during peak times on Tuesday to Thursday. I remain concerned that that is not fully accounted for in the passenger numbers.

I raised those concerns with the Minister and at our latest meeting with Southeastern, with my right hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford. I am grateful for Southeastern’s commitment to look at the live train-loading data for that station daily, and for the fact that it has since visited Albany Park station to reassess passenger numbers. I again request, through the Minister, that it provides the latest peak-time passenger numbers and capacity for the station, especially for Tuesday to Thursday. Furthermore, I would be grateful if the Minister can use his position to ask Southeastern again why there has been such a significant reduction in trains stopping at Albany Park station. Will he seek assurance about the future of the station, which is frequently used by commuters in a residential area with few alternative transport connections? There have been some silly rumours floating around locally that the station is closing. I hope the Minister will put them to bed by confirming that there are no plans to close it.

At all meetings, I have expressed my considerable disappointment at the loss of the loop service on the Sidcup line, which is used by many constituents, including to connect to the Elizabeth line and for Charlton Athletic fixtures. It is also used by children and parents travelling to school. Again, I am concerned about the data that Southeastern used to inform that decision. The time period used to capture passenger numbers does not incorporate the increase in passengers on the service since the Elizabeth line was opened. It would be a shame for residents to lose that connecting service, especially given the four-year delay and the billions it has cost taxpayers and businesses in our area. I again urge Southeastern to provide more services to Abbey Wood on the Sidcup line, especially off peak and at weekends.

As Members have said, Southeastern has consistently stated that the timetable changes have been demand-led, and that their purpose is to reduce crossovers in Lewisham, thereby improving reliability and reducing delays. I fundamentally disagree with that reasoning, especially given the consistent increase in passenger numbers since the pandemic and the £250 million investment in junction works at Lewisham over the past couple of years. Those engineering works, which have often required full and partial line closures, have been to improve track, signalling and capacity at Lewisham to meet demand “for decades ahead”. I am frustrated that my constituents have been negatively affected by regular disruption caused by union strikes and the works, which includes a planned nine-day full closure of the Bexleyheath line later this month, only a couple of weeks after the timetable changes.

My constituents have tolerated that major disruption to their journeys over the past couple of years on the basis that the works are

“to meet the demands of the railway today.”

That is a real kick in the teeth, because they are now losing a substantial number of services and the choice of termini to reduce crossovers at Lewisham—the very issue the works were said to address. I hope the Minister will address that issue, because that could be a massive waste of taxpayers’ money. It should be a good thing for the area, not a bad thing.

I emphasise again my disappointment and outrage at the lack of consultation for such drastic changes, which will have a detrimental impact on my constituents and their ability to travel for work, school and leisure. Given that Bexley does not benefit from direct access to the underground, rail services are the principal means of transport into and out of London, as well as for travelling to other areas in the south-east. It is therefore vital that the frequency and links to a range of central London stations are preserved. I continue to call for urgent concessions and reversals to many of the changes, particularly ahead of the new timetable in May.

07/12/2022
Matt Hancock – 2022 Letter to the Prime Minister Confirming Not Standing for Re-Election

The letter sent by Matt Hancock, the Conservative MP for West Suffolk, to Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 7 December 2022.

07/12/2022
Matthew Pennycook – 2022 Speech on Southeastern Railway Timetable Changes

The speech made by Matthew Pennycook, the Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons on 6 December 2022.

It is an absolute pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Harris, and I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Clive Efford) on securing this important debate and on the powerful case he made in opening it.

The deeper that I have dug into Southeastern’s stated rationale for its planned December timetable changes, the more convinced I have become that it simply does not add up. No one denies that we have seen a reduction in passenger numbers on Southeastern services post pandemic. However, given the difficulties inherent in determining levels of permanent demand reduction, not least given the fact that passenger numbers across the country continue to recover steadily, it beggars belief, quite honestly, that levels of demand as they were six months ago are being used to justify the kind of radical and disruptive change entailed by the timetable that is due to come into force next week.

It is worth bearing in mind that Southeastern introduced a reduced timetable on the Greenwich line in November 2020, but it was forced to restore the full peak hour service in January of this year because of overcrowding. Yet we are now told that similar service reductions are essential and that despite there being 302 fewer weekday services and 426 fewer weekend services across the network, as well as extremely large gaps between services during peak periods, there will be more than enough space to meet demand.

In the face of significant public anger, Southeastern has offered all manner of additional reasons why these planned timetable changes must be made. We are told by Southeastern representatives that the current timetable has:

“several disbenefits which will only get worse as customers return to the railway.”

That statement not only contains an implicit admission that demand is expected to continue to rise, but the company has also failed to make clear what those disbenefits are.

We are also told that the timetable is needed to deal with:

“the notorious bottleneck at Lewisham”.

However, as several colleagues have already mentioned, once again no specific information about delays caused by conflicting movements at or outside Lewisham station has been presented.

We are also told that Southeastern is an aberration for having metro trains that serve multiple London termini, yet Southern runs services into both Victoria and London Bridge, and Great Northern runs services into King’s Cross and Moorgate, both doing so without issue. We are told that the new timetable was based on feedback from customers and stakeholders, yet there was no engagement campaign with rail user groups and community groups prior to the cackhanded announcement of these changes in late September. Indeed, there has been none since.

It is hard to escape the conclusion, particularly given that the new timetable closely reflects proposals made prior to the pandemic as part of the 2017 Southeastern franchise tendering exercise, that what we are witnessing is the implementation of plans drawn up long before anyone had heard of coronavirus, under the pretext of post-pandemic changes in travel patterns and ultimately being driven by a desire to cut costs.

That would certainly explain why Southeastern sought to evade proper scrutiny about these planned changes by seeking and securing from the Department for Transport a formal derogation against the requirement to undertake a consultation exercise in respect of them.

Responding to that charge, Southeastern has argued that it takes many months to design and consult on a timetable change, and the pace of events meant that it was unable to do so. Yet other train operating companies that are minded to make timetable changes, including South Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway, managed to undertake detailed consultations with their customers despite facing the same pressures.

Despite the concerns raised by colleagues from across south-east London over several months, it is clear that the Government and the operator will plough ahead and introduce the new timetable on Sunday 11 December. That is deeply regrettable, because of the inconvenience that will be caused to all those passengers who will henceforth be forced to take multiple services to reach their intended destinations, but also because, as my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham mentioned, of the risk of severe overcrowding.

The Minister owes it to concerned Southeastern passengers to make clear precisely what will happen if demand does exceed service capacity, as I fear it will, so I would be grateful to him if he could address the following questions. Given that departmental responses to written questions suggest that data on overcrowding on the rail network has been discontinued, how will pressure on Southeastern services be monitored in the weeks and months ahead? Assuming that it is monitored in some open and accessible form, what extent of overcrowding will trigger an internal review of the new timetable’s efficacy?

How serious will matters have to become for services that are to be cut this weekend to be restored, and how quickly can any revisions be made? Indeed, can the Minister confirm that specific revisions to the planned timetable can be made, given that it is premised on significant alterations to termini on various lines? Finally, will the Minister today rule out issuing Southeastern with a further formal derogation and provide a commitment that there will be extensive public consultation ahead of any further timetable changes carried out next year?

It is not enough for the Minister to argue, as he did in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham at Transport oral questions, that we should all

“just wait and see how matters progress”.—[Official Report, 24 November 2022; Vol. 723, c. 437.]

Concerned passengers in my constituency and many others rightly expect answers from the Government as the operator of last resort, and, most importantly, an indication that Ministers will move quickly to amend this new timetable if it proves as damaging as we all fear.

07/12/2022