Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

HS2 Delays: Long-term Costs

Thursday 20 April 2023 · 2 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

  • HS2 is a transformational project, and the Government remain fully committed to building the line from Euston to Manchester
  • The decision to delay HS2 by another two years will increase the costs of the project, according to the National Audit Office
  • The Government is going full steam ahead on phase 1 from Curzon Street to just north of Birmingham to support the supply chain

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Transport
Context

The question arises from concerns over delays in the HS2 programme and their potential long-term financial implications.

Question

What estimate has been made of the long-term costs of delays to HS2?

Answer from Mark Harper

HS2 is a transformational project, and the Government remain fully committed to building the line from Euston to Manchester. HS2 is being delivered in stages, with cost estimates published for each phase of the programme. We remain transparent on the emerging cost position of HS2, and we publish six-monthly reports to Parliament. The recent announcement will clearly require us to work through adjustments for certain phases, and we will provide updated estimates in due course, including through those six-monthly reports.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific cost estimates were not provided; only a commitment to transparency was given.

How: We Remain Transparent On The Emerging Cost Position Of Hs2, We Will Provide Updated Estimates In Due Course

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Q2 Wera Hobhouse Lib Dem Bath
Economy Transport
Context

The question stems from concerns about job losses and increased costs due to the delay in the HS2 programme.

Question

Tens of thousands of jobs and billions of pounds in economic growth depend on building HS2. The National Audit Office has noted that the decision to delay HS2 by another two years will increase the costs of the project yet again. Is it not time that the Government came clean with the public that HS2 is happening, and stopped the dither and delay that will only cost the taxpayer more money?

Answer from Mark Harper

The Government remain fully committed to HS2. Picking up the point made by the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) about the supply chain, I made it clear in my statement to the House that we are going full steam ahead on phase 1 from Curzon Street to just north of Birmingham, precisely to make sure we protect jobs and the supply chain, and to demonstrate clearly that the project is going to happen.

Partly answered

Not addressed: He did not address why delays are happening or provide a timeframe for when full clarity will be provided.

How: The Government Remain Fully Committed To Hs2

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