Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the regime of welding the Hitachi Intercity Class 800 series trains is planned to take place; and whether that process will take place before a metallurgical analysis.

Hitachi, as the manufacturer and maintainer of the trains, is undertaking a thorough investigation into the causes of the cracking that was found. Its findings will be reviewed by all parties concerned and until that is complete, it is inappropriate to speculate on causes or on the solutions.