Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by how much was HS2 over budget in July 2019; and what information was shared with hon. Members on HS2 being over budget in 2019.

In July 2019, the budget for the project remained £55.7bn (2015 prices). Cost and schedule pressures were known and work was continuing to identify options to ensure the overall affordability of the HS2 project – this is detailed in the National Audit Office’s January 2020 HS2 progress report. The independent Oakervee review was formally commissioned in August 2019 to enable government to make properly-informed decisions on the future of the project, including the estimated cost and schedule position. A revised funding envelope was agreed in April 2020 with 6 monthly updates now provided to Parliament to allow full scrutiny of the project.