by political editor Paul Francis

The government has hinted it could step in to improve rail and road links to east Kent after Pfizer's move to quit the area.

Science minister David Willetts told MPs he will consider "very seriously" any recommendations from the Pfizer task force to improve links.

He also suggested Manston Airport had the potential to be a major new hub airport of the kind controversially proposed for the Thames Estuary by Boris Johnson.

The minister made his comments in an Adjournment Debate secured by the Thanet South MP Laura Sandys about the Pfizer decision.

Click here to read our political editor Paul's blog

She warned the pharmaceutical giant’s decision to quit Sandwich could cost a further 5,000 jobs on top of the 2,400 being made redundant by the firm.

She said chronically slow train services could be improved - possibly using High Speed services - to revolutionise the local economy.

"The east Kent economy has been crying out for years for better transport links: the area is 70 miles from London, but can take two hours to reach by train.

"The minister experienced a very lengthy train journey of two and a half hours because of both a slow train and works on the line, so he knows that, per mile, Sandwich to London is one of the slowest rail routes in the country.

"I therefore ask for the government’s support for our bid to get the rail line from London to Thanet upgraded so that we can get to Thanet within the hour.

"That would revolutionise our local economy."

Mr Willetts said he understood the issue and "the very strong arguments" being made to improve rail services but stopped short of making any firm pledges.

"A powerful argument has been made that reducing the journey time to London to less than an hour would transform people’s perceptions of the site and its accessibility.

"The second argument that has been made is about the case for a new station and how that would encourage investment and would encourage people to move to the area."

He added: "We will then consider them very seriously indeed, because of the importance of the area and the severe blow that it has had with the withdrawal of Pfizer."

The government taskforce headed by Kent County Council leader Paul Carter is due to produce a report shortly, setting out its recommendations on what can be done to safeguard the Pfizer site and boost the local economy.

Improvements to transport links are likely to be among the key proposals.