Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sugg on 16 November (HL Deb, col 79GC), which companies have been invited to tender for the provision of independent assurance and examination of HS2 Ltd’s cost estimates; what is the scope of that work; and when contracts will be awarded.

HS2 Ltd’s cost estimates are subject to rigorous assurance processes, including external assurance and scrutiny prior to each major decision being taken on the HS2 programme. This could include, although is not limited to, testing the validity of HS2 Ltd’s cost estimation methodology or assumptions. External assurance has been procured multiple times and information on all companies invited to tender, scope of their work and dates of contracts award can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The Department for Transport has also procured the HS2 Project Representative to provide independent assurance of the HS2 programme, including on HS2 Ltd’s cost estimates. This is supplied by an independent team of experts from KPMG, Steer Davies Gleave and Nichols. This contract has been in place since November 2016.