Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many court actions there have been in respect of Compulsory Purchase Orders against High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd in relation to Phase 1 of HS2; and what expenditure High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd has incurred in (a) solicitors and (b) other legal costs in connection with those court actions.

There has been one determined High Court and Court of Appeal case arising out of a compulsory purchase notice served by HS2 Ltd. on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport for Phase One of the HS2 Project. The court ruled in the Secretary of State’s favour.

There have been ten cases in which a reference has been made to the Upper Tribunal in respect of compensation entitlement as a result of compulsory purchase notices served by HS2 Ltd for Phase One of HS2.

There has been one case where HS2 Ltd. made a reference to the Upper Tribunal in respect of disputed compensation. All compensation cases have settled save for two, which are still ongoing.

There have been twelve Upper Tribunal references made by HS2 Ltd as a result of material detriment counter notices served on HS2 Ltd. requesting the Secretary of State acquires more land than the land referred to in the compulsory purchase notice. Only one has been heard in the Tribunal, with the rest all settling.

There have been seven Upper Tribunal references made in respect of blight notices rejected by the Secretary of State. Two of the references reached a full hearing in the Upper Tribunal (the other references being withdrawn).

Certificates of Appropriate Alternative Developments, Section 18 valuations and connected court cases have not been included in the above.

The information provided in this response has been identified from the information that is currently available to the Department.

Legal costs:

12 x Counter Notice References (a) £236,842 and (b) £51,754 (disbursements including Counsel fees)

10 x Compensation References (a) £1,258,393 and (b) £756, 968 (disbursements including Counsel fees)

2 x blight notices (a) £4,795.