Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the level of the economic contribution made by local supply chains in the Liverpool and Manchester Corridor to the rail industry.

The Government values the contribution made by the rail supply industry to the UK economy. It is estimated that the rail industry and its supply chain employ up to 240,000 people and create up to £10.4 billion of GVA each year. There are significant rail industry clusters in both the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine, including firms such as Alstom and Wabtec Faiveley in North West England.

The Government is committed to supporting local rail supply chains through our industrial strategy and investment in the railway. For example, constructing the Ordsall Chord supported 2,000 jobs and 200 suppliers. £80 million was spent with companies within 25 miles of the project with 62% of those sub-contractors being small and medium-sized businesses. It has been built using mostly British steel, with the steel for the bridge fabricated in Bolton.

More widely, 70% of the HS2 supply chain are small and medium-sized businesses.