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| Fresh questions over HS2 benefits as PM faces rebellion | Fresh questions over HS2 benefits as PM faces rebellion |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Fresh questions have been raised about the economic case for the HS2 high-speed rail link as David Cameron faces a backbench rebellion in the Commons. | Fresh questions have been raised about the economic case for the HS2 high-speed rail link as David Cameron faces a backbench rebellion in the Commons. |
| A study by centre-right think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs said the north of England would not see the kind of economic benefits promised. | A study by centre-right think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs said the north of England would not see the kind of economic benefits promised. |
| At least 30 Conservative MPs said they would vote against or abstain at the HS2 bill's second reading on Monday. | At least 30 Conservative MPs said they would vote against or abstain at the HS2 bill's second reading on Monday. |
| The vote is expected to be carried with support from Labour MPs. | The vote is expected to be carried with support from Labour MPs. |
| Mr Cameron said it was important to put in place "the best infrastructure for the future". | |
| "This scheme has all-party support and I expect a big vote in favour of it in the House of Commons tonight," he continued. | |
| "Let's be clear why we are doing it - the west coast mainline is full, the capacity has run out. | |
| "So we have a choice as a country. Do we build another standard railway line or do we build a high-speed railway that can massively add to the capacity of our country, help bring an end to the North-South divide and help make sure all our country shares in future prosperity?" | |
| Labour's support for HS2 had been in doubt because of rising costs, but shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh said the party "had had another look" to check it still provided value for money and confirmed: "We're backing the project." | |
| The High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill 2013-14: | The High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill 2013-14: |
| The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) said the government risked misleading the public with claims that HS2 would transform the north of England. | The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) said the government risked misleading the public with claims that HS2 would transform the north of England. |
| The report's author, Richard Wellings, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the project may be of benefit in certain specific areas but he was "sceptical about these very ambitious claims that it is going to be transformative, it is going to tackle the north-south divide, it is going to turn northern cities into world leaders". | The report's author, Richard Wellings, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the project may be of benefit in certain specific areas but he was "sceptical about these very ambitious claims that it is going to be transformative, it is going to tackle the north-south divide, it is going to turn northern cities into world leaders". |
| He said employment levels in east Kent had fallen by three percentage points since the opening of the High Speed One line in the county while Doncaster remained one of England's least well off areas despite rapid increases in rail speeds to London. | He said employment levels in east Kent had fallen by three percentage points since the opening of the High Speed One line in the county while Doncaster remained one of England's least well off areas despite rapid increases in rail speeds to London. |
| Mr Wellings said that instead of building HS2 the government should improve local and regional links in the north of England. | Mr Wellings said that instead of building HS2 the government should improve local and regional links in the north of England. |
| He said a cross-Pennine project linking Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester could bring clustering or agglomeration benefits from creating a single labour market. | He said a cross-Pennine project linking Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester could bring clustering or agglomeration benefits from creating a single labour market. |
| For longer distance travel, he said the existing West Coast Main Line could be upgraded "at relatively low cost... a fraction of the cost of HS2". | For longer distance travel, he said the existing West Coast Main Line could be upgraded "at relatively low cost... a fraction of the cost of HS2". |
| The Department for Transport said the IEA report was "flawed" and "simply wrong to say High Speed 1 hasn't brought significant benefits" to places like Ashford. | The Department for Transport said the IEA report was "flawed" and "simply wrong to say High Speed 1 hasn't brought significant benefits" to places like Ashford. |
| It said "the IEA's apparent argument that the example of Doncaster shows we shouldn't bother investing in better transport links is just bizarre". | It said "the IEA's apparent argument that the example of Doncaster shows we shouldn't bother investing in better transport links is just bizarre". |
| The commercial secretary to the Treasury, Lord Deighton, said: "We have not built a new railway north of London for over 100 years. We need to transform a Victorian railway with Victorian capacity and capability into a 21st Century railway." | |
| But he said he agreed with the IEA that attention should be paid to local links in northern England as part of a broader programme of rail improvements. | But he said he agreed with the IEA that attention should be paid to local links in northern England as part of a broader programme of rail improvements. |
| "In [HS2] phase two, in the north, we need to be much more attentive to the west-east connections. More work needs to be done on that. Everybody accepts that point and you'll see that in the response the government gives to the phase two consultation." | "In [HS2] phase two, in the north, we need to be much more attentive to the west-east connections. More work needs to be done on that. Everybody accepts that point and you'll see that in the response the government gives to the phase two consultation." |
| Overcrowding | Overcrowding |
| Meanwhile, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called on the government to speed up construction of the line. | Meanwhile, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called on the government to speed up construction of the line. |
| The BCC urged all political parties to set aside their short-term differences and Parliament to approve progress on the scheme quickly. | The BCC urged all political parties to set aside their short-term differences and Parliament to approve progress on the scheme quickly. |
| It also said HS2 would reduce problems of overcrowding, delays and cancellations. | It also said HS2 would reduce problems of overcrowding, delays and cancellations. |
| Former Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan, who is among the Tory rebels, said the bill still had a long way to go. | Former Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan, who is among the Tory rebels, said the bill still had a long way to go. |
| She said: "First of all, it's got to get through its committee stage in front of the hybrid bill committee then it has to have report stage and third reading in the House of Commons. | She said: "First of all, it's got to get through its committee stage in front of the hybrid bill committee then it has to have report stage and third reading in the House of Commons. |
| "It then has to go to the Lords and go through a similar process. So this bill will not be through before the general election and it will depend on the government of the day as to whether it is continued or whether it is at that stage abandoned." | "It then has to go to the Lords and go through a similar process. So this bill will not be through before the general election and it will depend on the government of the day as to whether it is continued or whether it is at that stage abandoned." |
| 'Costs under control' | 'Costs under control' |
| Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh confirmed that Labour would be backing the bill. | Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh confirmed that Labour would be backing the bill. |
| She said: "With the costs going up we had to look again at it. We had that look and we're backing the project. | She said: "With the costs going up we had to look again at it. We had that look and we're backing the project. |
| "There are a lot of my shadow cabinet colleagues where it goes through their constituencies and they are absolutely right to raise those local issues. | "There are a lot of my shadow cabinet colleagues where it goes through their constituencies and they are absolutely right to raise those local issues. |
| "The Phase Two route consultation closed in January. We've got to see what changes, if any, there are to that route and the government needs to get on and spell out what they are. | "The Phase Two route consultation closed in January. We've got to see what changes, if any, there are to that route and the government needs to get on and spell out what they are. |
| "But what we're also saying is we know there is a 2.3 cost benefit analysis, so you get 2.3 pounds back for every pound that you put in. | "But what we're also saying is we know there is a 2.3 cost benefit analysis, so you get 2.3 pounds back for every pound that you put in. |
| "We've got to invest in our transport infrastructure but we've got to keep costs under control as well." | "We've got to invest in our transport infrastructure but we've got to keep costs under control as well." |
| Both phases of the HS2 link are expected to cost £42.6bn, including contingencies, with another £7.5bn for trains. | |
| Last June, 21 Conservative backbenchers opposed the government in a Commons vote laying the groundwork for HS2. | Last June, 21 Conservative backbenchers opposed the government in a Commons vote laying the groundwork for HS2. |
| Since then ministers have been trying to win over doubters but their efforts appear to have faltered, with the number of opponents apparently increasing. | Since then ministers have been trying to win over doubters but their efforts appear to have faltered, with the number of opponents apparently increasing. |
| BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend canvassed the views of more than 100 backbench Conservative MPs - 25 said they planned to vote against the bill and another five said they would abstain. | BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend canvassed the views of more than 100 backbench Conservative MPs - 25 said they planned to vote against the bill and another five said they would abstain. |