Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the projected end date is of HS2 phase 1 and when that date was last reviewed; what the forecast spend is for the current financial year and when that forecast was last reviewed; what the initial planned whole life costs were; what the projected whole life costs are and when that projection was last reviewed; and what the delivery confidence assessment is and when that was last reviewed.

The Government set out schedule and cost updates for HS2 Phase 1 in its 6-monthly report on HS2 to Parliament in June. The first high-speed services are expected to run between Old Oak Common in west London and Birmingham Curzon Street between 2029 and 2033. The Target Cost for Phase 1 remains £40.3bn and the Funding Envelope remains £44.6bn (both in 2019 values). HS2 Ltd is currently reviewing its Estimate at Completion.

HS2 Ltd plans to spend £7.6bn (current prices) in 2023/24 on Phase 1. The project’s Delivery Confidence Assessment in Q4 2022/23 was Red. This is reviewed quarterly in line with requirements for the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio.