Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Transport for the North on the route of the proposed Liverpool to Manchester line of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project.

The Department works closely with Transport for the North on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), not least because the Government is funding the work on this issue.

Through this work, the Department recognises the advantage of using HS2 as a core part of the NPR network between Manchester and Liverpool, thus integrating HS2 and NPR and maximising use of the HS2 investment. That is why the £300m announced by my RHF the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October includes passive provision for junctions to enable such links. Transport for the North are considering options arising from the potential HS2 junction to Liverpool which offer good value for taxpayers’ money. We look forward to receiving NPR proposals next year.