Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the timetable for the High Speed Rail Bill to complete compulsory purchase orders.

The duration of powers for the compulsory acquisition of property was determined by Parliament to be five years for both Phase One (London – West Midlands) and Phase 2a (West Midlands – Crewe) of HS2. In light of lessons learned on Phase One in particular, the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill proposes that the equivalent powers should be of eight years’ duration for the Phase 2b Western Leg.