To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the companies working for HS2 Ltd have no conflicts of interest.

HS2 Ltd has strict protocols in place to prevent any perceived or potential conflicts of interest. All staff are required to declare any conflicts of interest upon joining HS2 Ltd. An established HS2 Ltd Conflicts of Interest Panel is in place to review conflicts of interest matters both in relation to employees, procurements and the supply chain and to ensure appropriate and consistent actions are taken to mitigate any risks. As part of the procurement process, all bidders must declare any potential, perceived or actual conflicts the mitigating controls which are overseen by the Panel mentioned above.