Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 February (HL5245), what steps they have taken to minimise the risk of a repeat escalation of costs by 83 per cent to £13.6 million for the improvements to the A1 road near Gamston Airfield; and what admonishments to individuals or decisions to terminate or decline future contracts with individuals or firms have been taken following the Inquiry which was conducted.

This scheme was procured through a one-off Design and Build contract and Highways England has taken the lessons learnt into all such future schemes to ensure that such difficulties are not replicated.

A pain-gain share mechanism was part of this contract, so the contractor suffered significant losses as a result. Highways England did not issue a ‘Consult Notice’ to the contractor following this scheme, meaning that they did not terminate any forthcoming contracts as a direct result of the contractor’s performance.