Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and which local authorities were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements by (a) his Department and (b) Highways England as part of the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway project.

Confidentiality Agreements are used to protect both Highways England’s information and the information of the other signatory party and are in accordance with typical business practice. Confidentiality Agreements help to avoid placing homes and businesses in unnecessary blight and protect commercially sensitive information and the personal information of those potentially affected by any proposed changes. Highways England does not discuss the existence or otherwise of specific arrangements.

The Department for Transport has not asked any local authorities to sign a Confidentiality Agreement in relation to this project. Both the Department and Highways England will continue to work closely with all local authorities and other stakeholders in the development of the expressway and a full public consultation is planned for later this year.