Asked by: Craig Tracey (Conservative - North Warwickshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to reports that the Chair of HS2 Ltd, Mr Allan Cook has written to his Department stating the high-speed line cannot be delivered within its £56bn budget, what steps he is taking to update Parliament on the new cost projections for High Speed Two; when he plans to publish the findings of Mr Cook’s review; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Prime Minister has appointed Douglas Oakervee to chair an independent review of HS2 to consider whether and how we proceed with the project. The review will consider all existing evidence on the project and consider a number of aspects of the programme, including its benefits and impacts; affordability and efficiency; deliverability; and scope and phasing, including its relationship with Northern Powerhouse Rail. The Review’s full terms of reference are available on gov.uk. Allan Cook’s findings will be part of the evidence for this review.
A final report will be sent to the Department in the autumn to inform the Government’s decision on the next steps for the project. We will publish this Review and take decisions on the HS2 project once we have considered the findings.
The Government has published Allan Cook's assessment and is available in the libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Craig Tracey (Conservative - North Warwickshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress the Government has made on improving transport infrastructure in areas with a high number of new build homes.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government has invested £1.2bn through the Housing Infrastructure Fund to support housing and further announcements through this £5.5bn fund are expected later this year. A significant number of HIF bids include transport infrastructure.
The Government is also investing in transport supporting new home construction through the Transforming Cities Fund, Major Road Network, and projects in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, and it is promoting integrated housing and transport planning, for example through the revised National Planning Policy Framework.
Asked by: Craig Tracey (Conservative - North Warwickshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of High Speed Two; and what recent assessment he has made of the value for money of that project.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Spending Review 2015 confirmed a funding envelope for the whole of HS2 of £55.7bn at 2015 prices. DfT remains determined that the project will be delivered within the £55.7bn funding envelope.
The benefit-cost ratio for the HS2 network as a whole, including wider economic impacts, suggests that for every £1 invested the UK will receive £2.30 of benefits.
Asked by: Craig Tracey (Conservative - North Warwickshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using the budget allocated to High Speed Two to instead invest in (a) regional transport infrastructure projects, (b) upgrading existing rail lines and (c) reducing government expenditure.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Record investment is taking place in Control Period 6 with around £48 billion to be spent on the existing rail network over a five-year period from 2019 to 2024, including more maintenance and a huge uplift in renewals to increase reliability and punctuality for passengers. Together with new and refurbished trains, this Government is delivering an ambitious programme on rail.
In addition, HS2 will deliver more than £2 of benefits for every £1 of investment. HS2 will release capacity on existing railway lines so enabling new or additional services to be provided on those lines.