HS2 will now operate to a maximum permissible overall line speed of 320 km/h, this includes all tunnels on the route.

The government is committed to supporting local leaders to drive growth and improve public services.

In the Cabinet Statement on ‘Rewiring the State’ the government committed to replace grants from central government with a share of local income tax for every mayor beginning in 2028, such that where a region grows its tax base, it benefits from the increased receipts. This will sit alongside greater retention of the revenue from business rates for local councils and strategic authorities.

At the Budget, the government will publish a roadmap setting out further detail on the design of fiscal devolution, and we will use the upcoming Spending Review to confirm the detailed arrangements for assigned income tax.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 enables mayors to appoint commissioners to support delivery within areas of competence set out in the Act. These appointments are discretionary and mayors are not required to appoint commissioners in relation to any specific issue or geography.

The Act includes rural affairs and coastal communities as an area of competence. Where a mayor considers it appropriate, they may appoint a commissioner whose work relates to that area and provide them with a locally appropriate brief reflecting the needs and priorities of their communities. The Government has no plans to require the appointment of commissioners in authorities that meet a specified rural population threshold.

The Government recognises that local leaders are best placed to understand and respond to the specific characteristics of their area. As such, Local Growth Plans are locally owned, allowing strategic authorities to determine how to use devolved funding and powers to support growth in a way that reflects local challenges and opportunities, and this is reflected in our supporting guidance.

Spatial Development Strategies must contain policies addressing issues of strategic importance across the whole of the strategic planning authority’s area, and they must have regard to the need to be consistent with national policies, which is tested by an independent examiner prior to adoption. The new National Planning Policy Framework includes a number of policies to support rural communities, including by setting out support for rural businesses and services, and setting expectations that development plans allocate sites for housing that will support and enhance the vitality of rural communities and enable villages to grow and thrive.

Our ambition is that every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a Strategic Authority by the end of 2027, with Strategic Authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028. The Government recently wrote to all areas without a Strategic Authority seeking confirmation of their devolution ambitions, including their preferences regarding mayoral or non-mayoral devolution.

Where an area favours a non-mayoral Foundation Strategic Authority, and for existing Foundation Strategic Authorities, we will work with them on potential future mayoral devolution. The Government will not impose mayors on areas that do not want one, but we do consider that directly accountable mayors represent the strongest form of governance available, and so the suite of powers available to areas with mayors will be commensurately greater. However, we will consider what powers should sit at the Foundation Strategic Authority level, and recently government confirmed that Foundation Strategic Authorities will be able to raise an Overnight Visitor Levy in their area.

The government recognises the importance of maritime apprenticeships in helping employers develop a skilled workforce. Skills England works with employers and sector bodies to develop and maintain a range of maritime apprenticeship standards, ensuring they reflect employer needs.

Skills England is consulting with stakeholders on retiring some occupational standards. This is often due to low levels of new starts or delivery challenges, including limited provider availability. In this context, "retirement" means that the apprenticeship would close to new starts, while existing apprentices would normally be able to complete their training. The consultation is still live and so no final decision has been taken.

Information on the number of apprentices who may be affected in each region of England is not currently available, as no decision has been taken.

Young people wishing to pursue maritime careers can access a range of technical qualifications and employer-led training programmes. For more information please see, Occupational Maps: Skills England.

To further increase apprenticeship opportunities, the Government is introducing a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy paying employers who recruit 16 to 24-year-olds as new apprentice employees. In addition, apprenticeship training is now fully funded for all eligible under-25s at employers of all sizes, helping more young people access opportunities in sectors such as maritime.

The government recognises the importance of maritime apprenticeships in helping employers develop a skilled workforce. Skills England works with employers and sector bodies to develop and maintain a range of maritime apprenticeship standards, ensuring they reflect employer needs.

Skills England is consulting with stakeholders on retiring some occupational standards. This is often due to low levels of new starts or delivery challenges, including limited provider availability. In this context, "retirement" means that the apprenticeship would close to new starts, while existing apprentices would normally be able to complete their training. The consultation is still live and so no final decision has been taken.

Information on the number of apprentices who may be affected in each region of England is not currently available, as no decision has been taken.

Young people wishing to pursue maritime careers can access a range of technical qualifications and employer-led training programmes. For more information please see, Occupational Maps: Skills England.

To further increase apprenticeship opportunities, the Government is introducing a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy paying employers who recruit 16 to 24-year-olds as new apprentice employees. In addition, apprenticeship training is now fully funded for all eligible under-25s at employers of all sizes, helping more young people access opportunities in sectors such as maritime.

The government recognises the importance of maritime apprenticeships in helping employers develop a skilled workforce. Skills England works with employers and sector bodies to develop and maintain a range of maritime apprenticeship standards, ensuring they reflect employer needs.

Skills England is consulting with stakeholders on retiring some occupational standards. This is often due to low levels of new starts or delivery challenges, including limited provider availability. In this context, "retirement" means that the apprenticeship would close to new starts, while existing apprentices would normally be able to complete their training. The consultation is still live and so no final decision has been taken.

Information on the number of apprentices who may be affected in each region of England is not currently available, as no decision has been taken.

Young people wishing to pursue maritime careers can access a range of technical qualifications and employer-led training programmes. For more information please see, Occupational Maps: Skills England.

To further increase apprenticeship opportunities, the Government is introducing a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy paying employers who recruit 16 to 24-year-olds as new apprentice employees. In addition, apprenticeship training is now fully funded for all eligible under-25s at employers of all sizes, helping more young people access opportunities in sectors such as maritime.

We are talking about snails, so I do not know how quickly we will act on this. I will look into this and write to my noble friend.

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in August 2026, gives substantial weight to the benefits of providing new or improved public service infrastructure, including healthcare facilities.

The NPPF is clear that existing community facilities and public services should not have unreasonable restrictions placed on their current or permitted operation as a result of development being approved after they were established. This means that development proposals should be capable of being integrated effectively with existing public service activities and infrastructure in their vicinity including blue light services.

Where the operation of an existing activity could have a significant adverse effect on a proposed new development in its vicinity, development proposals should identify the nature of the potential impacts and be able to demonstrate that suitable mitigation can be provided before the development has begun.

The new NPPF and the government’s response to the consultation are available on gov.uk here.

The Department is undertaking a comprehensive review of the transport case and the practicalities of rejoining the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), with the aim of determining how to best take this policy forward by the end of the year.

This review includes extensive engagement with relevant stakeholders within the transport industry.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 11 September 2026 in response to Question HL2845, which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below.

The Government recognises the important role that hospital helipads can play in supporting emergency and specialist care pathways. However, it has not established, and is not currently considering, a dedicated contingency fund for hospital helipad infrastructure.

Decisions on capital investment are primarily taken by National Health Service organisations and systems, which must balance a range of competing clinical and estate priorities within available resources. Where helipad infrastructure is identified as a local priority, NHS organisations may consider how best to support these requirements, including through charitable contributions such as those provided by the HELP Appeal.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16 July 2026 to Question 18083, which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below.

The Government recognises the important role that hospital helipads play in supporting the transfer of critically ill patients and accessing specialist services. Responsibility for the provision and management of hospital helipads rests with local National Health Service organisations, working with relevant planning, aviation, and local authority bodies.

The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience. While there are currently no plans to mandate safeguarded 24/7 on-site helipads through national requirements, the Government will keep this position under review in light of emerging evidence and operational requirements.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16 July 2026 to Question 18083, which, for ease of reference, is reproduced below.

The Government recognises the important role that hospital helipads play in supporting the transfer of critically ill patients and accessing specialist services. Responsibility for the provision and management of hospital helipads rests with local National Health Service organisations, working with relevant planning, aviation, and local authority bodies.

The Department continues to work with NHS England, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other partners to consider issues relating to hospital helipad access and resilience. While there are currently no plans to mandate safeguarded 24/7 on-site helipads through national requirements, the Government will keep this position under review in light of emerging evidence and operational requirements.

The Government is committed to terminating HS2 at Euston and has made significant progress in developing simpler, integrated plans for the campus.

Terminating at Euston supports the full realisation of the benefits of HS2 Phase One, supporting higher train frequencies to Birmingham and the North compared to terminating at Old Oak Common. It also supports regeneration of the wider Euston area. Analysis, including that used in support of the HS2 Phase One Act during its progress through Parliament, forecast that two thirds of passengers would prefer to travel to Euston given its better connections for access to central London. On that basis, terminating at OOC does not offer comparable savings to meet the strategic intent for delivering an intercity railway between Birmingham and London.

No other alternatives to reduce the cost of the connection between Old Oak Common and Euston were identified at the time of the Government's decision to proceed with the Euston tunnel. The existing tunnelling plans are the most cost-effective approach, as Old Oak Common station's construction has been set up for this purpose.

If this decision had not been made at this time, there would have been likely cost and schedule impacts to the delivery of Old Oak Common station, and potentially to the wider HS2 programme.

There are 54 x 200m trains on order with the Hitachi-Alstom Joint Venture. The capital expenditure for purchasing these trains is included in the published HS2 cost ranges.

The Euston Development Masterplan is a joint Department for Transport and Network Rail project, with delivery contracted to a joint venture between Lendlease and The Crown Estate.

Public funding, administered by the Department for Transport, will support enabling works and contribute towards the costs of developing the masterplan. The majority of the project will be funded by the private sector, with the Department for Transport and Network Rail sharing in the value generated from development.