Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it the policy of the Government to instruct the Environment Agency to install a comprehensive inspection regime for HS2 tunnelling operations beneath the Misbourne Valley; and if he will make a statement.

The Environment Agency has worked with HS2 Ltd to agree a sufficient monitoring system operated by HS2 Ltd and its contractors to manage the risks posed by the tunnelling operations in the Misbourne Valley. The Environment Agency regularly checks compliance with approvals or permits issued for the construction of High Speed Two along the length of the Phase One route.