Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to help increase business investment (a) outside London and (b) in (i) York and (ii) north Yorkshire.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Government-owned British Business Bank is supporting business investment across the UK including through its Nations and Regions Investment Funds. This includes the £660m Northern Powerhouse Fund II programme, supporting growing businesses across the North of England.
Our Growth Hub network is also supporting businesses of all sizes and sectors across England. The Department for Business and Trade is working across the UK, including in York and North Yorkshire to showcase strong, commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow. The Government has also agreed a £540 million mayoral devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire to support growth and business investment.
Asked by: Pat McFadden (Labour - Wolverhampton South East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to which domestic destinations Ministers in her Department and its predecessor Departments have attended overnight visits in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The regions visited with an overnight stay over the last 3 financial years are as follows:
Financial Year | Regions visited |
2021 – 2022 | Scotland – 12 Northern Powerhouse – 4 Wales – 1 South West – 2 Jersey – 1 Northern Ireland – 2 |
2022 – 2023 | Scotland – 3 Northern Ireland – 4 South West – 2 Northern Powerhouse – 2 Wales – 1 |
2023 – 2024 | Northern Powerhouse – 3 Northern Ireland – 7 Midlands – 1 Scotland – 1 Channel Islands – 2 South West – 1 |
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline status and (b) Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment stage of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is; and when Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment approval was received.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are making progress on planning and delivering the schemes within Network North alongside our other rail enhancements priorities, working with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver the benefits of this investment
The Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is part of the Government’s Network North proposals, which commit to providing up to £2bn (in 2019 prices) for significant improvements in rail connectivity between Bradford and Manchester (via Huddersfield) and a new station in Bradford.
The £2bn from Network North is in addition to £500m committed in the Integrated Rail Plan to upgrading the line between Leeds and Bradford Interchange with opportunity to reduce journey times to as low as 12 minutes between Leeds and Bradford.
All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the new approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements, replacing GRIP. We are working closely with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to develop delivery timescales and further information will be shared once work is more mature.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) final cost to the public purse and (b) completion date of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are making progress on planning and delivering the schemes within Network North alongside our other rail enhancements priorities, working with Network Rail and other delivery partners to develop and deliver the benefits of this investment
The Northern Powerhouse Rail project between Bradford and Manchester is part of the Government’s Network North proposals, which commit to providing up to £2bn (in 2019 prices) for significant improvements in rail connectivity between Bradford and Manchester (via Huddersfield) and a new station in Bradford.
The £2bn from Network North is in addition to £500m committed in the Integrated Rail Plan to upgrading the line between Leeds and Bradford Interchange with opportunity to reduce journey times to as low as 12 minutes between Leeds and Bradford.
All the projects within Network North will be progressed and developed in line with the principles of Project Acceleration in a Controlled Environment (PACE), which is the new approach used by Network Rail to govern, manage and progress rail enhancements, replacing GRIP. We are working closely with our Arms Length Bodies, and other delivery partners, to develop delivery timescales and further information will be shared once work is more mature.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve railway connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network North confirmed the Government’s commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail and to improving connectivity between Liverpool and Manchester. Funding has been made available to allow the Liverpool to Manchester section of Northern Powerhouse Rail to be delivered as previously set out in the Integrated Rail Plan. Government committed to working with local leaders and that engagement with local leaders is underway.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to publish the revised business case for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
All NPR schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 26 October (HL10766), how much money has been spent to date on the Manchester leg of HS2.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information related to the spend to date on HS2, including Phase 2b Western Leg, was provided in the most recent Parliamentary Report published in November 2023.
To date, £0.7bn (2019 prices) has been spent on the Phase 2b Western Leg of the HS2 Programme. This funding was used to prepare the Phase 2b Western Leg Bill. Following the Network North announcement, Government is now considering options to repurpose this Bill in order to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The Department for Transport remains committed to providing regular updates to Parliament on the progress of the Programme with a further update expected in Spring 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Northern Powerhouse rail proposals, whether the proposed new route alignment between Bradford and Huddersfield involves tunnelling; and, if so, what proportion of the route will be tunnelled.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government is working closely with Network Rail to develop and programme the delivery of specific schemes announced by Network North. Further development work will confirm the preferred route between Bradford, Huddersfield and Manchester. Options that have been considered to date do not involve tunnelling between Bradford and Huddersfield. Information will be shared once this work is more mature.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Northern Powerhouse rail proposals, what proportion of the proposed new route alignment between Huddersfield and Manchester will involve tunnelling.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government is working closely with Network Rail to develop and programme the delivery of specific schemes announced by Network North. Further development work will confirm the preferred route between Bradford, Huddersfield and Manchester. Options that have been considered to date do not involve tunnelling between Bradford and Huddersfield. Information will be shared once this work is more mature.
Asked by: Baroness Scott of Needham Market (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Northern Powerhouse rail proposals, whether the new Bradford railway station will replace Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square, or just Bradford Interchange.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is the government’s current intention that the new station at Bradford, would likely replace Bradford Interchange to provide improved transport links to Bradford City Centre. This investment will support Bradford to unlock further economic potential, supporting wider regeneration in the city.
The government is working closely with Network Rail and Bradford City Council to assess potential station options and locations. Further information will be shared when this work is more mature.