Have your say on the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
28 June 2013 (updated on 28 June 2013)
Do you have relevant expertise and experience or a special interest in the Government’s High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill?
If so, you can submit your views in writing to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee which is going to consider the Bill.
High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on 13 May 2013. The second reading of the Bill took place on 26 June 2013, giving MPs the opportunity to debate the main principles of the Bill.
- Catch up on Parliament News: Second reading High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
- Bills before Parliament: High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill 2013-14
The Bill has now been sent to the Public Bill Committee, where detailed examination of the Bill will take place.
Aims of the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill
High Speed Two (HS2) is a £34-£36 billion project to build a high speed rail line from London to Manchester and Leeds, via Birmingham, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Crewe, to begin operation in 2026 and be completed in 2032.
It was supported by the Labour Government after 2009 and has had the support of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government since May 2010.
In the 2013 Queen’s Speech the Government announced a 'paving bill' to authorise further spending on preparation for the HS2 project. The Government estimates that since 2009 it has spent upwards of a quarter of a billion pounds developing HS2.
Later in 2013 the Government intends to publish the first Hybrid Bill to authorise the construction of Phase 1 of HS2 (from London to Birmingham).
Deadline for submissions
The Public Bill Committee is now able to receive written evidence. The sooner you send in your submission, the more time the Committee will have to take it into consideration.
The Committee is expected to meet for the first time on Tuesday 9 July 2013; it will stop receiving written evidence at the end of the Committee stage on Thursday 18 July 2013.
(When the Committee reports it is no longer able to receive written evidence and it can report earlier than Thursday 18 July 2013).
Guidance on submitting written evidence
What should written evidence cover?
Your submission should address matters contained within the Bill and concentrate on issues where you have a special interest or expertise, and factual information of which you would like the Committee to be aware.
It is helpful if the submission includes a brief introduction about you or your organisation. The submission should not have been previously published or circulated elsewhere.
If you have any concerns about your submission, please contact the Scrutiny Unit (details below).
How should written evidence be submitted?
Your submission should be emailed to scrutiny@parliament.uk. Please note that submissions sent to the Government department in charge of the Bill will not be treated as evidence to the Public Bill Committee.
Submissions should be in the form of a Word document. A summary should be provided. Paragraphs should be numbered, but there should be no page numbering.
Essential statistics or further details can be added as annexes, which should also be numbered. To make publication easier, please avoid the use of coloured graphs, complex diagrams or pictures.
As a guideline, submissions should not exceed 3,000 words.
Please include in the covering email the name, address, telephone number and email address of the person responsible for the submission. The submission should be dated.
What will happen to my evidence?
The written evidence will be circulated to all Committee Members to inform their consideration of the Bill.
Most submissions will also be published on the internet as soon as possible after the Committee has started sitting.
The Scrutiny Unit can help with any queries about written evidence.
Scrutiny Unit contact details
Email: scrutiny@parliament.uk
Telephone: 020 7219 8387
Fax: 020 7219 8381,
Address: Michelle Edney
Senior Executive Officer
Scrutiny Unit, 7 Millbank,
London SW1P 3JA.