Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much has been spent on the purchase of land for HS2 that is no longer necessary.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
As of September 2023, £208m has been spent on land and property on Phase 2a and £356m on Phase 2b. Any property that is no longer required will be sold and a programme is being developed to do this.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure that the new discharge pipes connected to the HS2 project, leading to Yeading Brook behind Ruislip Gardens Station, have a discharge licence; whether they can describe what chemicals and volumes are permitted under this licence; who is doing the water quality monitoring; and where the monitoring data appears locally.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Any discharges of water from the HS2 project to the natural environment require discharge consents, approved by the regulator – the Environment Agency (‘EA’), as specified in Schedule 33 Part 5 of the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Act 2017.
There is an agreed consent to discharge water from the South Ruislip Vent Shaft site to a drain that discharges to the Yeading Brook. The conditions for this state the maximum limits of the following parameters:
The consent states that the sulphate levels within the water are to be recorded and reported to the EA on a monthly basis. The total daily discharge volume and the rate of discharge are to be recorded and reported as and when requested by the EA.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the changes made to their second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy on 10 March, whether it is still their aim that half of all journeys in towns and cities will be cycled or walked by 2030.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Yes. The changes simply corrected a data error in a funding table and in no way affect the Government’s aim.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the National Trust applied for, and when National Highways agreed to provide, £3 million from the environment and wellbeing designated funds to support a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape; what the terms of the grant are; and whether the grant has already been distributed in its entirety.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The application to National Highways Designated Funds Investment Decision Committee regarding a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape was submitted and approved by the Committee on 6 June 2020. The grant agreement was signed by both parties on the 3 February 2021.
National Trust will effect change in the management of the relevant project land and will carry out the grassland reversion works to deliver at least:
The grant has not been fully paid. The payment schedule of the grant extends from March 2021 to March 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether a (1) Highways England, or (2) National Highways, Environment Designated Funds grant was made to the National Trust as partnership funding towards the acquisition of 168 hectares of land at Stonehenge; and if so, what was the amount of that grant.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
National Highways Environmental Designated Funds have not been used towards the acquisition of the land at Stonehenge. National Highways is, however, providing a contribution of £3m from its Environmental Designated Funds to the National Trust to support a grassland reversion project in the Stonehenge landscape.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how untreated HS2 waste water entered a winterbourne stream in the Colne Valley; and what the chromium levels are in this run-off.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
HS2 Ltd is not aware of any untreated HS2 waste water entering a winterbourne stream in the Colne Valley. HS2 Ltd closely monitors the River Colne catchment area.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of chromium-6 found at HS2 sites across the Colne Valley; and whether these are related to cement used in construction works.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
HS2 Ltd’s contractor Align JV collects water samples from groundwater, surface water and water associated with construction activities along the route of the Colne Valley Viaduct. The water samples are analysed for a number of substances, including chromium VI, and the data is assessed against environmental quality standards and drinking water standards. The data is then provided to the Environment Agency and Affinity Water on a monthly basis.
All the cement used in the construction of the Colne Valley Viaduct meets EU limits for chromium VI content. Chromium VI has been identified in some waters from the cement used in construction. Such water is collected and either treated at the Align water treatment plant at their South Portal site or at off-site commercial facilities.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 21 October (HL2420), what is the source of contaminated water that has been identified in the cofferdams and necessitated an application to vary the Water Treatment Plant Permit.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The water within the cofferdams comes from lake water ingress through the sides and base of the cofferdams. The quality of this water is affected by interaction with lakebed sediments and the concrete plug in the base of the cofferdam while it cures. It is this water that is tested, pumped out, and may require treatment before it is of a quality to be returned to the Colne catchment. This water treatment, via the Water Treatment Plant, required a variation to the permit. The piling for the Colne Valley Viaduct is largely complete and the extensive monitoring of groundwater around all piling works and cofferdams has detected no contamination issues in the water environment related to construction works within the Colne Valley.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, if the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme does go ahead, to whom would any compensatory payment be made for compulsory acquisition of land in Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Compensation may only be paid to those with a qualifying interest in the land subject to the compulsory purchase order (CPO). A qualifying person is an owner, lessee, occupier or tenant of land within the CPO.
In the case of the Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge, The National Trust, as owners, would receive compensation for the compulsory acquisition of the land.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what area of the 21.16 hectare Bow Tie Field at Stonehenge would have to be compulsorily acquired for construction of a new dual carriageway, eastern tunnel portals and tunnels as a part of National Highways’ proposed A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The area within Bow Tie Field identified as being required for compulsory acquisition for construction of a new dual carriageway, eastern tunnel portals and tunnels are as follows:
Approximately 4.54 hectares of permanent acquisition,
Approximately 6.65 hectares of permanent subsoil (subterranean) rights for the tunnel.