The Bishop of Newcastle asked a question on building infrastructure in the north-east of England on 19th January 2026, following a government statement on plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail:
The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I have spoken in the Chamber before about the Leamside line, which is a modest 21 miles of railway in the north-east. Would the noble Lord agree that it illustrates the disconnect between statement and construction timeline? Would it be worth considering prioritising projects such as the Leamside line in order to power up the northern powerhouse, particularly in the north-east, which sometimes feels on the edge of plans?
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab, DfT): I am delighted that the right reverend Prelate has raised that, because I discussed this very subject with Kim McGuinness two or three times in the last month. The extension of the metro to Washington, which is the northern part of the Leamside line, is proceeding anyway. The development of the southern part of the Leamside line will be pursued alongside the first tranche of Northern Powerhouse Rail, with a view to deriving economic growth, homes and jobs benefits from extending services southwards. I hope I have answered the right reverend Prelate’s question very positively.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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