UK: Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South Iain Stewart has been elected Chair of the House of Commons Transport Committee. The post became vacant following the appointment of Huw Merriman as Minister of State at the Department for Transport.
‘I have a real passion for, and experience in, transport issues’, Stewart said on November 16. ‘I want the Committee both to scrutinise and hold to account government, agencies and operators, but also to do important horizon-scanning proactive work into future opportunities and challenges.’
Stewart was a member of the committee in 2010-13 and 2015-18, being involved in inquiries including HS2, buses and rail technology. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin in 2013-15, government whip for DfT in 2019-20 and held the transport portfolio in the Scotland Office while Minister for Scotland.
In 2020-22 he was commissioned by the then Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government Sajid Javid to write a report on East-West Rail in 2018, and had a fellowship in rail transport with the Industry & Parliament Trust.
