HS2: Investigation launched into two firms supplying workers

An probe has been launched into "whistleblower allegations" astir the practices of immoderate "labour suppliers" to the institution gathering the embattled HS2 obstruction line.

HS2 Ltd is investigating 2 companies that proviso workers to physique portion of the London to Birmingham conception of the line, which the one Paper, which first reported the story, says relates to the billing for the unit supplied.

The company, which is owned by the government, says it "treats each whistleblower allegations seriously" and launched an probe earlier this year, portion the Department for Transport adds that it volition guarantee immoderate claims of wrongdoing are "thoroughly investigated".

Politics latest: More payment headaches for Starmer

The insubstantial reports that the allegations subordinate to unit being misclassified, and truthful an inflated complaint being charged to employment them.

It is understood the 2 firms nether probe were providing workers to 1 of HS2's contractors connected the West Midlands conception of the line, Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV), which is not accused of wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd says BBV has "implemented further monitoring and controls".

It is understood that 1 contractor remains suspended from caller contracts portion the probe continues.

An HS2 spokesperson said: "HS2 Ltd treats each whistleblower allegations earnestly and we are alert of the claims made successful narration to labour suppliers connected portion of the route.

"An probe was launched earlier this twelvemonth into a fig of antithetic allegations and our contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI has implemented further monitoring and controls."

A Department for Transport spokesperson added: "The authorities and HS2 Ltd instrumentality each whistleblower allegations highly earnestly and person a zero-tolerance cognition towards fraud, bribery, and corruption. We volition truthful guarantee immoderate claims of wrongdoing successful HS2's proviso concatenation are thoroughly investigated.

"We person taken enactment to grip the transportation of HS2, tasking CEO Mark Wild to fundamentally reset the task and alteration the company's civilization and capableness to present the enactment arsenic outgo efficaciously arsenic possible."

It is understood that determination is presently nary constabulary oregon HMRC involvement.

BBV has been approached for comment.

What is HS2?

The HS2 obstruction enactment was announced successful 2009 to boost capableness and chopped the travel clip betwixt London and the northbound of England.

The archetypal program was to physique the archetypal signifier connecting London and Birmingham, followed by adding 2 branches to Manchester and Leeds - but the erstwhile Conservative authorities decided to scrap the 2nd phase owed to spiralling costs and galore setbacks, and the caller Labour medication has said it volition not reverse the decision.

Read more:
Sam Coates: PM declares warfare connected £100m HS2 bat shed
Changes to HS2 explained
Government doesn't cognize however overmuch HS2 volition cost

Sir Keir Starmer's authorities has pledged to "get a grip" connected the rising costs of the task that, according to a House of Commons probe briefing, person been driven "by precocious inflation, arsenic good arsenic scope changes, worse crushed conditions than expected and optimism bias".

In 2012, it was estimated that HS2 Phase 1 would outgo £20.5bn (in 2019 prices) to implicit - but forecasts person since grown, with the astir caller estimation successful January 2024 estimating it would outgo £49bn to £56.6bn (in 2019 prices).