Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) compensation claims process and (b) levels of evidence required for compensation in HS2 compulsory purchase negotiations.

My Department works with HS2 Ltd to deliver a robust compensation process, and keeps the compensation schemes available to those affected by HS2 under ongoing review. This applies to the arrangements for compulsory acquisition. A formal review of all schemes was last conducted in 2020 but my Department works closely with HS2 Ltd to monitor and appraise the schemes, with the presumption that they should be easy to navigate and that the level of evidence required is appropriate and proportionate. HS2 Ltd has published comprehensive guidance setting out the evidence that should be provided when claiming compensation.