The
future
of
HS2
could
be
at
risk,
after
levelling-up
minister
Michael
Gove
warned
that
‘everything
will
be
reviewed’
when
he
was
asked
about
the
gap
in
government
funds.

He
then
named
the
high
speed
project
as
a
possible
candidate
for
savings,
describing
it
as
‘a
significant
investment’,
but
gave
no
other
details.

Some
backbenchers
have
already
been
calling
for
HS2
to
be
abandoned.
Mr
Gove
told
Times
Radio:
‘As
a
result
of
different
factors,
including
mistakes
that
were
made
at
the
mini-budget,
we
have
got
to
make
some
decisions
which
will
be
painful.
When
we
face
the
particularly
economic
problems
that
we
have
at
the
moment,
I’m
sure
that
some
capital
spending
will
be
cut.’

Meanwhile,
the
mayor
of
West
Yorkshire
Tracy
Brabin
is
calling
for
an
update
on
the
£100
million
Leeds
Area
Study
which
is
examining
‘the
most
effective
way’
to
bring
HS2
trains
from
East
Midlands
Parkway
to
Leeds,
using
the
conventional
network.
Although
the
study
was
set
up
almost
eleven
months
ago,
it
appears
to
be
on
hold.

The
mayor
said:
‘We’ve
not
heard
a
thing
and
it’s
so
disrespectful.
It
just
shows
the
government’s
commitment
to
the
North
that
we
still
have
no
information
at
all
on
the
study,
even
the
terms
of
reference.’

The
government
has
not
commented
on
the
Leeds
study
delay
or
Mr
Gove’s
remarks,
saying
only:
‘HS2
is
under
way,
within
budget,
and
supporting
28,000
jobs.
The
government
remains
committed
to
delivering
it
on
time
and
to
budget.

‘As
the
latest
report
to
parliament
sets
out,
current
cost
pressures
are
covered
within
the
existing
budget
and
we
continue
to
identify
areas
where
savings
and
efficiencies
can
be
made.’