Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time was in weeks for a DVSA practical driving test in (a) Great Britain, (b) England, (c) each region and (d) each driving centre in April (i) 2024, (ii) 2023 and (iii) 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The attached spreadsheet WPQ 00015074 shows the average waiting time in April 2024, 2023 and 2022 for a car practical driving test, broken down by:
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the rescoped HS2 project; what recent estimate he has made of the benefit cost ratio of that project; and whether he plans to update the estimated costs of HS2 using 2024 prices.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In light of the Network North announcement, the scope of HS2 is now being reviewed to make sure only what is required for the reduced scheme is being delivered, including the revised approach to Euston. Once this work has been done, we will publish a cost range and benefit cost ratio for the revised HS2 scheme as part of an updated business case for the HS2 programme. The Department will publish this work when it is complete. HS2 records costs in 2019 prices and in nominal terms. Decisions over inflation methodologies and indices to express the wider programme's costs are ongoing between the Department and HM Treasury.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the status is of the planned development corporation for Euston and associated civil engineering works.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department is working through considerations around the use of a development corporation, or suitable alternative, to oversee development at Euston HS2 station and the proposed ‘Euston Quarter’. The Department continues to define and develop a range of development models and financing mechanisms to best meet the objectives of the ‘Euston Quarter’ including via discussions with our key stakeholders and delivery partners.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on public funding for the Euston development corporation and associated civil engineering works.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government remains committed to delivering a privately financed HS2 Euston station as part of a transformed ‘Euston Quarter’ outlined in the Network North paper. The Department is working alongside partners to deliver comprehensive regeneration across the ‘Euston Quarter’ which is set to be led by a Development Corporation or similar. The Government’s ambition remains to make best use of funding from alternative sources to enable the delivery of HS2 to Euston, and the creation of a transformed ‘Euston Quarter’, while ensuring that funding is underpinned by contributions from those people and businesses this development supports.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of the HS2 Euston development, including core civil engineering and tunnelling.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government remains committed to delivering a privately financed HS2 Euston station as part of a transformed ‘Euston Quarter’ outlined in the Network North paper. The Department continues to define and develop a range of development models and financing mechanisms to best meet the objectives of the ‘Euston Quarter’, ensuring that funding is underpinned by contributions from those people and businesses this development supports. This includes consideration of options for using alternative funding to cover the section of HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston. In the interim, certain activities and works to enable and realise the new Euston Quarter are being progressed with the support of some public funding, but with the intention of that funding being recouped later from private sources.