Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral contribution on 3 November 2021 in response to the Hon. Member for Jarrow and published in the Official Report, how the additional £96 billion investment in rail services in the North East of England will be spent.

The Department will very soon publish its Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) which will look at how best to deliver major rail investments in the North and Midlands including HS2 Phase 2b, Northern Powerhouse Rail and other major Network Rail schemes, so that the benefits of these investments are delivered to passengers and communities more quickly.