Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the natural capital destroyed so far by the construction of HS2, either by the Treasury Green Book guide or any other method.

Environmental sustainability is integral to HS2’s design, with huge efforts being made to minimise the impact of construction on biodiversity, coupled with a commitment to deliver no net loss of biodiversity on Phase One. During the consultation stage, the environmental impacts of the railway are assessed and published in detailed Environmental Statements (ES), which are prepared in line with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

As construction progresses, HS2 Ltd works to ensure that the significant effects reported in the ES are not exceeded through compliance with the “Environmental Minimum Requirements," a suite of documents which includes the Environmental Memorandum and the Code of Construction Practice. HS2 Ltd is also committed to publishing annual Environmental Sustainability Progress Reports and Ancient Woodland Reports to update the public on its impacts on the natural environment and on the important work being done to avoid, mitigate and compensate for any adverse effects.

All of the documents referred to above are available on the gov.uk website.