Some recent Parliamentary written answers:
Written question – 11003
Q Asked by Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras)Asked on: 09 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that public land required by HS2 Ltd only during the construction phase will be returned to the relevant local authority for reprovison for community facilities.
A Answered by: Robert Goodwill on: 19 October 2015
Virtually all the land compulsorily acquired for HS2 will be used permanently for the construction and operation of the new railway. Where land compulsorily acquired becomes surplus to requirements, in accordance with the Crichel Down Rules and subject to key Guiding Principles set out in the High Speed Two Information Paper – C6: DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS LAND, landowners may be offered the opportunity to buy back land, at market value. The future use of land returned to local authorities would therefore be a matter for them to decide.
Written question – 11191
Q Asked by Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) on: 09 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Work of the Natural Capital Committee has informed environmental decision-making on the High Speed 2 project.
A Answered by: Robert Goodwill on: 15 October 2015
HS2 has been designed to meet all of the legislation and relevant policy currently in place to protect the environment. Many of the recommendations set out by the Natural Capital Committee have already been addressed by the work being undertaken by HS2 Ltd, such as the use of webTAG and aiming to achieve no net loss to biodiversity.
Written question – 11192
Q Asked by Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) on: 09 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that emissions from the construction and operation of High Speed 2 will comply with air pollution mitigation measures in the new air quality plans being developed by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
A Answered by: Robert Goodwill on: 15 October 2015
HS2 Ltd is working with the Local Authorities affected by the Scheme through the Environmental Health Sub-Group of the Planning Forum. These Local Authorities have responsibilities for Local Air Quality Management, and have Action Plans which feed into the air quality plans which are being consulted on by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Written question – 11411
Q Asked by Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) on: 12 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the Barnett consequentials for Wales resulting from public expenditure on High Speed 2.
A Answered by: Robert Goodwill on: 20 October 2015
Ministers in the Department for Transport are in regular contact with the Welsh Assembly on a variety of matters. However, Ministers have not received representations from the Welsh Government regarding HS2 and Barnett consequentials.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dft-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-january-to-march-2015
Written question – 11140
Q Asked by Keir Starmer (Holborn and St Pancras) on: 09 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons HS2 Ltd plans to commence utility diversion and other advance works on construction compounds in July 2016 in advance of the likely date of Royal Assent for the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill.
A Answered by: Mr Robert Goodwill on: 15 October 2015
The High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013 received Royal Assent inNovember 2013 and authorises the Secretary of State, with Treasury approval, to incur expenditure in preparation for a high speed railway transport network. Construction work will commence in 2017, with some enabling works planned for 2016, subject to necessary consents.
Written question – HL2393
Q Asked by Lord Berkeley on: 05 October 2015
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the maximum gradients on the proposed HS2 line, and where they are located.
A Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on: 15 October 2015
In general the normal limiting gradient on the proposed HS2 line is 2.5%, which occurs at various locations along the route.
However, there are a few instances of steeper gradients where there are physical constraints that do not allow gradients of 2.5% or less to be achieved, namely:
– Between Euston Station and Euston Tunnels (3.4%)
– In the Euston Tunnels before Old Oak Common (3.5%)
– The east end of the Bromford Tunnel (2.9%)
– The approach to Birmingham Curzon St (3.03%)
Written question – 12280
Q Asked by Antoinette Sandbach (Eddisbury) on: 19 October 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that peak noise measurements are used by HS2 Ltd when developing proposals on the night use of High Speed 2.
A Answered by: Robert Goodwill on: 26 October 2015
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Phase One of HS2 includes predictions of maximum sound levels from HS2 trains on residential properties. This has informed the noise mitigation provided as part of the scheme. The maximum acceptable sound levels at night are set out in Information Paper E20.
Phase Two will undertake an EIA that will include predictions of maximum sound levels from HS2 trains.
Select commitee or surrender taking authority. Seems more like pleading for mercy than for sensible scrutiny. Big failure to reduce planning to a waffle session.
The Select Committee is becoming tired and Mould is becoming faded as petitioners have to labour points in little time.
5 years for Terminal 5 deserves 10 years for HS2 Route 3. The challenge of vague statements is not working and the Select Committee is discharging aspects with no real follow through with report back in due course.
The project is failing and has cheated many and there is poor analysis and self presentations lead to poor outcomes in the HS2 favour. The House of Lords is a revising chamber and is being foilled in this task by spoilt MPs. Time to apply the brakes to this farce of pretence without due technical detailled professional considerations.