Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in total, how many applications have been made to the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund; and how many of those applications have been successful.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
There have been ten applications to the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund to date.
Of these, five are in the smaller category (£10,000-£75,000) and five are in the larger category (£75,001 and above). The larger category has a two stage process: Expression of Interest stage and Stage 2.
Of the five smaller applications, two have been approved (totalling £148,785), two are in the process of being assessed by Groundwork UK and one was unsuccessful. Of the five larger applications, one was encouraged through to Stage 2 of the process (i.e. invited to submit a full application), one is in the process of being assessed by Groundwork UK and three were unsuccessful.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from (a) not-for-profit and (b) other organisations eligible to apply for the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund on the eligibility criteria for that fund.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department for Transport has no record of having received representations from (a) not-for-profit or (b) other organisations eligible to apply for the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund on the eligibility criteria for that fund.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with HS2 Ltd on ensuring that eligibility criteria for the Business and Local Economy Fund is not unnecessarily restrictive and that appropriate organisations are able to access that fund.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The eligibility criteria for the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) were established prior to the Fund’s launch in January 2017, following collaboration between officials at my Department, HS2 Ltd, Groundwork UK and the Independent Panel.
The criteria are based on best practice in the grant making sector and are designed to ensure the right balance has been set between safeguarding public funds and maximising the quality and quantity of applications in pursuit of the Fund’s objective: to add benefit over and above committed mitigation and statutory compensation to support local economies that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is considering a review of the Business and Local Economy Fund eligibility criteria to maximise the ability of appropriate organisations such as not-for-profit and non-statutory bodies to access the grants available.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The objective of the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) is to add benefit over and above committed mitigation and statutory compensation to support local economies that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2.
Organisations and groups are eligible to apply for funding if they are formally established for public benefit, are not-for-profit and can show that they meet the minimum requirements for safeguarding public money. Both statutory and non-statutory bodies may apply.
My officials meet regularly with HS2 Ltd, Groundwork UK and the Independent Chair of the BLEF to monitor progress and ensure its objective is being met. To this end, all elements of the Fund (including eligibility criteria) are kept under regular review.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications have been made to the HS2 Need to Sell Scheme from urban areas; and how many of those applications have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Information is only held in respect of Need to Sell (NTS) applications for each individual phase of HS2 without distinction as to whether a property is located in an urban or rural area. Information could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
We also consider that disclosing low numbers of applications would identify individuals whose property was purchased under the NTS scheme and those applicants have an expectation that this information would remain confidential.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will compel HS2 Ltd to publish the internal guidance used by the independent panel of professionals to assess applications under the HS2 Need to Sell scheme including the section on the assessment of a compelling reason to sell.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Guidance issued to the independent panel which assess applications made under the HS2 Need to Sell scheme has been published and is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/568959/Need_to_sell_scheme_-_panel_guidancev.pdf
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the clarifications called for by the House of Lords Select Committee on the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill on the interpretation and application of the compelling reason to sell condition of the HS2 Need to Sell scheme have now been made; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Guidance was republished on the Need To Sell (NTS) scheme in August 2017 in light of recommendations made by the House of Lords Select Committee. The guidance provides more detailed information on the types of compelling reasons applicants may have to sell their property, and examples of the documentary evidence that should be provided to support each element of their application.
The guidance has subsequently been reviewed on several occasions, most recently in June 2018, to ensure the scheme remains transparent and guidance is accessible.
Statistics are also published on examples of compelling reasons cited within unsuccessful and successful NTS applications which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-phase-one-exceptional-hardship-scheme-applications-statistics
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the determination of a compelling reason to sell under HS2’s Need to Sell scheme involves a means-test of the applicant and their immediate family members.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The financial circumstances of an applicant to the HS2 Need to Sell (NTS) scheme, or an immediate family member, would be examined only if relevant to an application.
The NTS scheme panel require a summary of an applicant’s compelling reason, or reasons, to sell with each element of their case being supported by documentary evidence.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will compel HS2 Ltd to make available, if necessary, in redacted form, summaries of and explanations for the decisions made on applications under the Need to Sell scheme.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
As confirmed in its response to the Phase 2b property scheme consultation, published in July 2017, the Government has concluded that publishing individual decisions would lead to an unacceptable risk of individual applicants being identifiable, even following redaction.
We are committed to keeping this area under review. We have made available more detailed guidance and statistics on compelling reasons to sell within successful and unsuccessful applications in order to better support applicants.
Asked by: Keir Starmer (Labour - Holborn and St Pancras)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the revised total volume in millions of cubic metres of spoil that will need to be removed from the Euston HS2 station and approach as a result of recent revisions to the plans for the HS2 throat and HS2 station design at Euston station.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HS2 Ltd are currently undertaking design and construction planning to identify and confirm volumes of excavated material that will be removed at Euston station. Current estimates are for some 1.1 million m3 to be removed from the Euston HS2 station (Stage A) and Euston approach. HS2 Ltd continue to develop the design to reduce the amount of excavated material that needs to leave the site.