BABCOCK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS AT NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE DEPOT

That this House expresses concern that Babcock Rail's Newcastle upon Tyne depot is threatened with closure and that there is no guarantee of employment at current levels for the skilled railway infrastructure workers at the depot after March 2011; believes that the loss of these track renewal jobs would damage the North East economy and undermine capacity for future rail projects in the region; notes that there is appropriate rail infrastructure work in the area planned by Network Rail which could safeguard the depot and on which these workers could gainfully beemployed; recognises that Britain lacks a long-term, co-ordinated strategy for railway infrastructure and engineering; and calls on the Government urgently to convene an industry summit which includes the trades unions to develop an integrated approach to enhance Britain's capacity and skills base.