Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Transport of 25 June 2015, Official Report, column 1067-8, on Network Rail, what assessment he has made of the implications of that announcement for the Northern Powerhouse programme.

Creating a Northern Powerhouse is a vital part of the Government’s long-term economic plan. The Government is investing in science and technology, digital and innovation, culture and tourism across the North.

The next franchise for the Transpennine route between Leeds and Manchester will bring modern trains and additional capacity. As part of the Government’s investment in transport in the North, electric trains have been introduced this year between Liverpool and Manchester and between Liverpool and Wigan and work is underway to extend them to Bolton and Blackpool.