Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to ensure that HS2 workers observe social distancing requirements; and if he will he make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s current policy is that construction activity should continue where it can be undertaken in accordance with the Public Health England guidance and industry best practice. I have asked HS2 Ltd to work closely with their construction partners to ensure compliance with these guidelines in order to protect their workforce and local communities. Sites will not operate where this cannot be achieved.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) assurances were sought and (b) undertakings were obtained from each of the companies and consortia given notice to proceed on HS2 construction on 15 April 2020 that their financial position was not at risk as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The contracting organisations associated with the notice to proceed instruction given by HS2 Ltd are formed of joint ventures. All of the Joint Ventures that have received a Notice to Proceed are joint and severally liable for their contractual requirements and therefore provide mitigation to any financial risk that materialises. Each contracting company was also required to provide a Parent Company Guarantee from a parent of sufficient financial standing.
Both the contracting companies and Parent Companies have had their financial standing tested and scrutinised during both procurement and then again at the point of award for their contracts. Since the point of award HS2 Ltd have continuously monitored financial indicators.
In the run up to notice to proceed, at which point the Covid-19 outbreak materially impacted operations, the contracting structures negotiated with the joint venture organisations were moderated to recognise the event.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on levels of demand for public transport.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Latest data on public transport usage is made available each day as part of the daily coronavirus update. The data and slides can be found at the following webpage
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/slides-and-datasets-to-accompany-coronavirus-press-conferences
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will suspend all work on High Speed Two for 12 months in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government will do whatever is necessary to deal with Covid-19 now and will also continue to invest in the country’s future infrastructure.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what investigations into extending the HS2 Chiltern Tunnels are ongoing; and when a final decision will be made on any such extension.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The House of Commons Select Committee considered the possibility of a bored tunnel passing through the whole of the Chilterns AONB, continuing north of Wendover, in great detail. The proposal was rejected, primarily on the grounds of cost.
The Committee did however recommended a 2.6km extension of the bored tunnel (originally to be 13.4 km long) to South Heath, which was a significant change made by AP4, introduced on 12 October 2015.
Since Royal Assent for the Phase One Act in February 2017, HS2 Ltd have been proceeding on the basis of the tunnel design as set out in the Act. There are no investigations into extending the tunnel and no plans to do so.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with representatives of the Environment Agency on the risk of (a) damage and (b) pollution of the chalk aquifers in the Chilterns as a result of tunnelling activity by HS2 Ltd.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the new dedicated Minister of State for HS2, I will hold discussions with governmental and non-governmental organisations involved in or affected by HS2 construction and delivery as necessary. HS2 Ltd, which is responsible for the safe construction of HS2, has been working closely with experts from the Environment Agency and Affinity Water for a number of years to ensure that HS2 construction work does not cause contamination of the chalk aquifer, or in any way affect the ongoing provision of high quality drinking water from it.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the extent of the (a) damage and (b) pollution of the chalk aquifers in the Chilterns as a result of the tunnelling activity of HS2 Ltd.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Environmental Statement for Phase One of HS2 reports the results of the environmental impact assessment. This includes the effects on water resources, which are reported in volume 5: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-one-environmental-statement-volume-5-water-resources
HS2 Ltd, which is responsible for the safe construction of HS2, has been working closely with experts from the Environment Agency and Affinity Water for a number of years to ensure that HS2 construction work does not cause contamination of the chalk aquifer, or in any way affect the ongoing provision of high quality drinking water from it.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the HS2 Ltd Phase One Planning Forum minutes for November 2019 will be published.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Phase One Planning Forum planned for 21st November 2019 was cancelled as a result of the pre-election period restrictions, so there are no minutes.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the names of the chair and attendees to the September 2019 meeting of the HS2 Phase One Planning Forum have been redacted in the minutes for that meeting.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
HS2 Ltd redacts personal data from the HS2 Phase One Planning Forum minutes in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Asked by: Cheryl Gillan (Conservative - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what HS2 Ltd's total budget is for development of the new construction skills training school on the Maria Fidelis School site; and what the prices are for contracts with (a) Conisbee, (b) Beadmans, (c) Max Fordham and (d) ADW Developments for the initial works on the new building on that site.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In accordance with assurances provided to Camden Council, HS2 Ltd are contributing funding to this project. As is stated in HS2 Ltd’s Register of Undertakings and Assurances the Secretary of State will require the nominated undertaker (HS2 Ltd) to make a contribution up to a maximum of £4,100,000 towards the cost of the construction, property costs, fitting out and ongoing running costs of the skills centre. This commitment was secured during the passage of the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill, which received Royal Assent on 23 February 2017.
Overall responsibility for delivery of the skills centre sits with Camden Council (i.e. the contracts are not held by HS2 Ltd).
HS2 Ltd and its relevant contractors are working with Camden Council to ensure that the Construction Skills Centre will deliver skills and employment services that are relevant to HS2 Ltd’s needs.