Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2022, CP 751, published on 17 November 2022, whether the commitment to core Northern Powerhouse Rail will include a high-speed rail stop in Bradford.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As confirmed by the Autumn Statement, the Government is committed to delivering the Northern Powerhouse Rail core network set out in the Integrated Rail Plan. We are looking at opportunities and plans for Bradford station and how to connect Bradford up better.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the three options for Northern Powerhouse Rail identified by Transport for the North on (a) the economy, (b) train reliability and performance, (c) the environment, (d) the residual value of investments and (e) location decisions of (i) households and (ii) businesses.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Autumn Statement last week, Government is committed to delivering the Northern Powerhouse Rail core network as outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan.
The Government carefully assessed the three proposals presented by Transport for the North last year. Updated analysis will continue to be included in future business cases where relevant, and we intend to respond to the Transport Select Committee’s recommendations by March,
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Statement 2022, CP 751, published on 17 November 2022, whether the commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail will retain the same route as previously announced.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), published in November 2021, set out a £96 billion package to improve rail connections across the North and Midlands over the next 30 years.
Autumn Statement 2022 confirmed the Government’s commitment to delivering the Northern Powerhouse Rail core network, as set out in the IRP. This includes building 40 miles of new high-speed line between Warrington, Manchester and Yorkshire, and upgrading and electrifying the rest of the route between Liverpool and York, as well the existing line between Leeds and Bradford.
The IRP is the largest ever single Government investment in the rail network and is expected to start delivering benefits from as early as this decade.
Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the investment environment in the construction sector.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Investing in high quality infrastructure is crucial for boosting economic growth and productivity. The Autumn Statement re-affirmed the Government’s commitment to protecting capital investment budgets, meaning government will invest over £600 billion across the next five years, including in the HS2 link to Manchester, Northern Powerhouse Rail and Sizewell C. The Government will also accelerate delivery of infrastructure projects, including through reforms to the planning system, and place the UK Infrastructure Bank on a statutory footing. These measures will ensure businesses have the confidence to invest.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government's commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail includes the new line from Liverpool to Manchester via Central Warrington.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As outlined in the Integrated Rail Plan last November, Northern Powerhouse Rail will include a 40-mile section of new high-speed line between Warrington and West Yorkshire via Manchester International Airport and Manchester Piccadilly, and upgrades between Warrington and Liverpool.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government's commitment to build Northern Powerhouse Rail includes infrastructure upgrades to the Sheffield to Hull line via Doncaster.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Integrated Rail Plan’s adaptive approach to investment, electrification of the line from Sheffield to Hull via Doncaster could be considered in the future subject to the deliverability and affordability of the core IRP pipeline.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is still his Department's policy that Northern Powerhouse Rail will include a new station in Bradford city centre.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In November 2021, Government published the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands which committed £17.2bn to a core NPR network between Liverpool and York and Bradford and Leeds. We will assess the case for a new station at Bradford and will engage closely with local leaders and MPs on the next steps for the project.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is still his Department's policy to proceed with the Northern Powerhouse Rail project.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
In November 2021, Government published the Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands which committed £17.2bn to a core NPR network between Liverpool and York and Bradford and Leeds. We will assess the case for a new station at Bradford and will engage closely with local leaders and MPs on the next steps for the project.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the economy of the (a) North West of England and (b) Yorkshire and Humber region of not delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail in full.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is currently finalising the business case for Northern Powerhouse Rail. As part of this, we are conducting economic analysis on a range of options including an assessment as to their levelling-up impact on different regions in the North of England.
Asked by: Colleen Fletcher (Labour - Coventry North East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of trends in the regional spread of business debt in (a) each of the last five years, (b) during the covid-19 outbreak and (c) during the cost of living crisis.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department monitors regional trends in business lending through the British Business Bank (BBB), the SME Finance Monitor survey, and the trade associations UK Finance and Responsible Finance. The BBB’s three regional funds support access to debt and equity finance in Cornwall, the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine, including Coventry.
The regional spread of business debt broadly reflects national demand for business lending and the regional distribution of the business population. Differences within regions are more significant, with Community Development Finance Institutions playing a valuable role in enabling access to debt finance for businesses in under-served areas.
According to the SME Finance Monitor, the proportion of all SMEs using external finance was 38% in Q2 2022, down from the 45% using finance in Q2 2021 and in line with pre-pandemic levels. Use of debt finance is higher for SMEs trading internationally and those with plans to grow. The majority (86%) of SMEs are in the category of ‘happy non-seekers’ of finance, meaning that they have either no debt or a level of borrowing that they consider sufficient for their needs.