Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of building the Midlands Rail Hub on people in (a) Leicester East constituency and (b) Leicestershire.

We are working with Network Rail, Midlands Connect, and West Midlands Rail Executive, to maximise the benefits of Midlands Rail Hub for people throughout the region, including in Leicester and Leicestershire. In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a ‘zero-based’ review, to ensure every line of spending – including the transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan for Change and provides good value for taxpayers. Midlands Rail Hub will be assessed as part of this review alongside other planned rail infrastructure investment schemes.