Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Patrick McLoughlin, on 25 June (HC Deb, col 1068) about Network Rail in respect of the trans-Pennine route that "current work on electrification will be paused because we need to be much more ambitious for that route" , whether their plans for electrification are to be combined with their ambitions for High Speed 3; and, if so, when they expect electrification to take place.

Electrification of the NorthTranspennine line east of Stalybridge is paused pending receipt of Sir Peter Hendy's re-planning proposals this autumn. This is a pause, not a stop, to ensure that it happens at the right time to deliver the most benefit. The government’s enhancements programme is ambitious and stretching and it needs to be re-planned to ensure it remains deliverable and affordable. The replan should take into consideration the plans for the Northern Powerhouse / TransNorth to ensure that we are delivering the best solution overall.