Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the assurance processes are under which the Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) of Major Schemes are conducted.

National Highways follows its established “Analytical Assurance Framework” for assuring POPE reports, which includes fourth line independent external expert analytical assurance from DfT.

As these are complex reports it is right that my officials take the time to provide summary advice of these reports in the round and undertake wider assurance to advise me on the quality of collective findings.