Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) projected end date is, (b) forecast spend in the financial year 2023-24 is, (c) initial planned whole life costs were and (d) delivery confidence assessment is of HS2 Phase 2a; and when each of those figures were last reviewed.

The Government set out schedule and cost updates for HS2 Phase 2a in its 6-monthly report on HS2 to Parliament in June. The existing Delivery in Service range for Phase 2a is 2030-2034, but as announced in the Transport Secretary’s statement to Parliament of 9 March 2023, construction has been rephased by 2 years. HS2 Ltd and the Department are working to minimise the impact of the rephasing on the Delivery into Service date. The current cost estimate range for Phase 2a is £5.2-£7.2bn (2019 prices).

HS2 Ltd plans to spend £215m (current prices) in 2023/24 on Phase 2a. The project’s latest Delivery Confidence Assessment in Q4 2022/23 was Red. This is reviewed quarterly in line with requirements for the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio.