Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

High Speed Rail 2

Wednesday 29 June 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chris Elmore asked about the impact of High Speed Rail 2 on Scotland and the removal of the Golborne link due to Sir Peter Hendy's review.
  • Chris Elmore questioned the Government's commitment to Scotland's connectivity through HS2, citing the removal of lines linking the north of England with Scotland.
  • Michael Fabricant inquired if Scotland could benefit from parts of HS2 given construction disruptions in Lichfield.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Elmore Lab Bridgend
Transport Scotland
Context

The question arises following a confidence vote in the Prime Minister and concerns the effect of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) on Scotland, with recent discussions between the Secretary of State for Transport.

Question

What recent discussions have you had with the Secretary of State for Transport about the impact of High Speed Rail 2 on Scotland? On the day of a confidence vote in the Prime Minister, the Government announced that the HS2 Golborne link connecting Glasgow and north-west England had been scrapped. How can you say Scotland will benefit from HS2 when the Government is secretly trying to get rid of lines linking the north of England with Scotland?

Answer from Iain Stewart

Scotland will benefit from increased connectivity and economic benefits brought by HS2. The Golborne link was removed due to Sir Peter Hendy's review, which found it not optimal for addressing capacity constraints between Crewe and Preston. We are exploring better options and remain committed to HS2 as a means to enhance transport connectivity and environmental sustainability.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The cancellation of the Golborne link and its impact on Scotland's connectivity and economic benefits were not directly addressed with specific plans or commitments.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Chris Elmore Lab Bridgend
Transport Scotland
Context

The question follows a previous discussion about HS2 and the cancellation of the Golborne link, raising concerns about how these changes affect Scotland's connectivity with England.

Question

How can you say that Scotland will benefit from connecting to HS2 when the Government is secretly trying to get rid of lines linking the north of England with Scotland and reducing overall UK connectivity?

Answer from Iain Stewart

The removal of the Golborne link was due to Sir Peter Hendy's review, which concluded it wasn't the best way to address capacity issues. However, we are examining alternative options and remain committed to enhancing connectivity between Scotland and England through HS2.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The cancellation of the Golborne link's impact on Scottish economic benefits was not directly addressed with specific plans or commitments.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Michael Fabricant Con
Economy Transport
Context

Construction of HS2 is causing significant disruption in areas like Lichfield, raising questions about the broader impact and benefits of such projects.

Question

Given disruptions caused by HS2 construction in Lichfield, with tonnes of soil moved and roads closed, might we help Scotland by giving them our bit of HS2?

Answer from Iain Stewart

While my hon. Friend is a vocal opponent of HS2, I am open to discussions on optimising the construction process and its overall benefits for transforming economic potential across the country.

Not addressed: The practical proposal was not addressed; instead, the answer shifted towards general support for HS2's benefits without discussing local disruptions or Scottish connectivity.

How: Doughty Campaigner Against Hs2, Had That Debate

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email