Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what options they are considering for the proposed new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester; and whether they plan to consider forms of public-private partnership.

While we recognise the concerns about connectivity between Birmingham and Manchester, we will not reverse the previous government's decision to cancel Phase 2 of HS2, and our primary focus now is the safe delivery of HS2 between Birmingham and London at the lowest reasonable cost. We are committed to a long-term approach to infrastructure and investment, taking account of local transport priorities. We are taking into consideration the recent proposal from the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands for enhancing rail connectivity between the Midlands and the North-West, including their ideas for private sector partnerships. We will thoroughly review the fiscal position we have inherited before setting out a clear plan to address capacity and connectivity issues in due course.