Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to report on the newly commissioned assessment of the HS2 project, including the new budget and timescale needed to complete the railway.

On 23 March 2026, we published this government’s latest report to Parliament on HS2, which updated on delivery progress. It also outlined the commission for HS2 Ltd to assess how much taxpayers’ money and construction time could be saved by adopting a specification for HS2 that is more in line with the high-speed railways successfully delivered by the rest of the world.

The Secretary of State has asked Mark Wild to report back to her before the summer recess. The government will reflect on the early outcomes of this work, alongside progress on engagement with HS2 Ltd’s main suppliers, ahead of publishing the new cost and schedule estimates. We are taking the time to ensure the updated estimates are robust, rather than rush the process and risk publishing figures that we do not trust. We will publish the new estimates shortly once they have been fully assured and approved.