Giles Watling, Member of Parliament for Clacton, has asked The Chancellor of the Exchequer about major infrastructure investment.
Giles asked Phillip Hammond MP what plans the Government have to invest in major infrastructure during this Parliament. The Chancellor advised Giles that the Government will continue to invest in infrastructure by expanding the national productivity investment fund, so that it will now provide £31 billion of additional investment, including more than doubling the housing infrastructure fund to £5 billion.
Giles said
“When I stand up in the Commons, I have two major considerations; what is needed in Clacton, and what does Clacton need to see across the rest of the country? My constituents will be pleased that the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies said after the Budget that our plans will see public investment increase to levels not sustained in 40 years. This is vital for national prosperity. That said, I will keep on banging the drum for additional investment on the rail tracks connecting London and Clacton as I firmly believe that a better and quicker service will be a driving force to regenerate Clacton. I recently met with Jamie Burles, Managing Director of Greater Anglia, to obtain a better understanding of the additional infrastructure questions I need to put to the government and what more needs to be done collectively to improve infrastructure, connectivity and encourage investment across Clacton. I am also on the Great Eastern Main Line Task Force, chaired by Priti Patel, where we bring together the Department for Transport, Greater Anglia and Network Rail to hammer out ways of improving our service in the long term.”