Local MP’s Question Transport Sectary on HS2

Christopher Pincher and Michael Fabricant hand the Secretary of State for Transport letters calling for better compensation for properties affected by HS2

Yesterday in the House of Commons, during the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill debate, local MP’s Christopher Pincher (Tamworth) and Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) questioned the Secretary of State for Transport on compensation and mitigation for constituents affected by the proposed two HS2 train lines planned to cross Staffordshire.

Mr Pincher said, “I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way and for yesterday meeting my constituents from Hints and Drayton Bassett to discuss their concerns about compensation and mitigation.  He has rightly referred to the great concern that people have about the compensation and mitigation that is available.  In setting a budget for phase 1, will he prevail on HS2 to be as efficient as possible so that money can be saved and spent on mitigations in Staffordshire?”

Patrick McLoughlin MP replied, “The meeting that I had yesterday with my hon. Friend and his constituents was very useful, and I gave them an undertaking to look at some of the points they made.  I have had varying reports on how some of the public consultations have gone.

“I am determined that we improve the way in which they are conducted so that people get more reliable answers on the points they are making, and as quickly as possible, although sometimes these things take a lot of time if particular requests are made as to routes and the like.  I thank my hon. Friend for behaving very constructively in the points that he is making.”

Lichfield’s MP, Michael Fabricant, then rose and said, “I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way, and pleased to be able to follow the intervention by my hon. Friend Christopher Pincher.  Next week I will be bringing people from Lichfield, Whittington and Armitage to see him to discuss, primarily, mitigation.

“May I ask him about compensation?  He will know that with the current route I will have real difficulties with the hybrid Bill; in fact, I will not be able to support it.  The Country Land and Business Association says that this stage of the game is the only opportunity to get compensation into legislation so that we can give it to people in my constituency, and indeed in Tamworth, who have been blighted for the past three years.”

The Secretary of State responded, “As someone who was born and brought up in Staffordshire, I know the area that my hon. Friends are talking about incredibly well.  Without the authority of this Bill, we would be in a very difficult position as regards exceptional hardship.

“I mentioned earlier some of the requirements of the PAC in relation to accountability in spending money on a project without the approval of Parliament, and that also relates to compensation.”