Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they provide concerning the criteria for approval of major infrastructure projects, in particular on the economic benefit to cost ratio; what advice they received from the consultancy OXERA concerning the projected benefit cost ration for HS2; what action they took in response to that advice; and what changes they required HS2 Ltd to make in order to improve this benefit to cost ratio.

All major infrastructure projects are required to follow the HMT five-case model as outlined in the business case guidance for projects and programmes. The Department for Transport uses a Value for Money Framework to inform its investment decisions.

The Oakervee Review of HS2 commissioned Oxera to carry out sensitivity analysis on the business case for HS2. The outcome of the Oxera analysis is set out in the published Oakervee Review.