Assurances are commitments given by the Promoter (Secretary of State) during the passage of the Bill through Parliament.  It records all the individual undertakings and assurances given to petitioners and to Parliament in a single document. This is to help ensure that the ‘nominated undertaker’ (any person appointed to construct HS2), the Secretary of State for Transport, or any other organisation exercising the powers provided by the Act complies with them throughout the project’s lifecycle. Following Royal Assent to the Bill, a nominated undertaker is expected to be appointed to construct and maintain Phase 2a of HS2. Any nominated undertaker will be contractually obliged to comply with all relevant undertakings and assurances made by the Promoter in regard to construction and operation of the Proposed Scheme.

Gregory Jones KC (instructed by Shepherd and Wedderburn) acted for the Petitioner, Gallaher Ltd.  Gregory is a member of the Parliamentary Bar.