Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on when the Government will set out a timetable for the (a) funding and (b) construction of Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the North and the Midlands sets out a £96 billion package to overhaul and modernise rail connections across the North and Midlands over the next 30 years.
As set out in the IRP, the Government will deliver our core commitments first. This includes the first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail, which will improve journeys from Manchester to Leeds, and from Leeds onto Bradford and York. We will keep options to expand the network under consideration, looking at the delivery of our core commitments, and depending on how demand and economic growth recover.