Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the Hope Valley line improvement scheme on economic growth in the area.

On 13 February 2018, the Secretary of State announced his decision to provide Network Rail Infrastructure Limited with the legal powers to construct, operate and maintain new passing facilities and associated railway infrastructure on the Hope Valley route between Bamford and Hathersage and at Dore. The Department’s value for money assessment guidance includes guidance for the assessment of benefits to the economy.