Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) projected end date, (b) projected financial costs, (c) initial planned whole-life costs, (d) the projected whole-life costs and (e) delivery confidence assessment are for the East Coast Digital Programme; and when each of those areas listed was last reviewed by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority.

The East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) received an AMBER rating from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) in September 2022 as part of its annual formal Gateway 0 Review. As standard for a Gateway 0, this included a check that provision for financial and other resources have been made for the programme. This was the last formal review of the programme by the IPA with the next review planned for September 2023. The AMBER delivery confidence rating matches the SRO’s assessment as per the programmes latest GMPP report for FY 2023/24 Q1.

a) Projected end date – October 2030

b) Projected financial costs – £1,877m (up to 2031 and includes RNEP funding and funding from the Control Period 7 Statement of Funds Available, which is subject to ORR advice)

c) Initial planned whole life costs – £3,476.66m (over a 60-year period and includes renewals)

d) The projected whole-life costs – £3,476.66 (m)