Press briefing: afternoon 3 July 2013
The Prime Minister's Spokesperson answered questions on the economy and HS2.
Economy
Asked if the Prime Minister agreed with the Cabinet Secretary that economic recovery would take 20 years, the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson (PMS) made clear that the economy was on the road to recovery but it would take time to recuperate from the deficit. Asked whether the Prime Minister is worried about the Portuguese economy, the PMS said the economy continued to face challenging times from the Eurozone.
HS2
Asked whether the Prime Minister was worried about the rising costs of HS2, the PMS said the government’s view remained unchanged and would continue to make the case for HS2. He also made clear that costs put forward were contingency measures as part of the project’s effective management process. Questioned on the breakdown of the cross party consensus for HS2, the PMS reiterated that HS2 was the right project for the economy and the government had considered all options in making the case for high speed rail. Asked if the Prime Minister would hold a meeting with MPs who rejected HS2, the PMS made clear there were plenty of opportunities for parliamentarians to raise their concerns in the House of Commons.