Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the feasibility of electrifying the railway line between Birmingham, Wellington and Shrewsbury.

Midlands Connect, a sub-national transport body which researches, develops and progresses transport projects in the Midlands, is prioritising line speed improvements to this railway line over electrification. They are in the process of refreshing the Business Case for line speed improvements, which they plan to submit towards the end of 2024. It will be important to consider a range of options to progress decarbonisation of the rail network, and I expect to receive advice on this matter later this year.