Extract from oral questions to the Department for Communities and Local Government: Northern Powerhouse - April 24

Jim McMahon (Oldham West and Royton) (Lab): The Manchester Evening News reported at the weekend pressure from Conservative Back Benchers to scrap HS2 to fund the Brexit bill. Will the Minister confirm that HS2 to Manchester will go ahead, to time and to the budget that has been outlined?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Andrew Percy): There has been no change to the Government’s policy on HS2. I remind the hon. Gentleman that, in addition, there is £13 billion of other investment. Over the next two years, particularly on the TransPennine line, there will be new rail, new carriages and new services—a whole new passenger experience. There will be over £2 billion of investment in that important TransPennine route under the Government. The northern rail franchise will operate on an improvement basis, unlike the no-improvement basis when it was run by the Labour party.

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