Transport secretary Mark Harper made his comments in the Commons earlier today (Thursday) after Conservative MP Theo Clarke (Stafford) asked him: “I welcome the government’s commitment to railway reform, but the secretary of state will know from my recent meeting with the rail minister that my Stafford constituency is heavily impacted by the construction of HS2 and we have always been promised that there will be economic benefits for Stafford through the Handsacre link.

“Given the recent push to find savings in this project, concerns have been raised that the Handsacre link will be scrapped. So, can I ask him to confirm this will go ahead?”

Harper replied: “Whilst our priority is to deliver the opening stage of HS2 on schedule and for high-speed services to commence from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street between 2029 and 2033, I have been clear that construction works on phase one, north of Birmingham from Delta Junction to Fradley, and including...