Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the reasons for HS2 Ltd commencing work in Stone Meadow Chalfont St Giles before obtaining the necessary permissions; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that such permissions always precede the work to which they relate taking place.

Permissions to undertake ground investigations at this site, which are necessary in order to determine the ground conditions for the design and construction of Chiltern Tunnel, were sought through negotiating a site access license for this activity. Regrettably, whereas the standard practice is to issue site access licenses to the relevant landowners and tenants of the land in question, in this instance the license and notices were only issued to the tenant of the land and not to the landowner, Chilterns District Council. HS2 Ltd have, therefore, removed their equipment from the site while a license is sought from the Council. Where access for surveys is required, HS2 Ltd will in all cases aim for early meaningful communication with landowners in order to establish accurate land ownership and tenancy details and aim to provide early notification of access requirements. HS2 Ltd are currently undertaking a review of all the ground investigation license areas to date against freeholders, tenants and occupiers to ensure that no other situations like this arise.