The Government has blocked the release of a report which said the £50 billion HS2 line is ‘in doubt’.
An annual report by the Major Projects Authority gave the scheme an amber/red rating, given to projects considered ‘in doubt, with major risks or issues apparent in a number of key areas’ and requiring ‘urgent action’ to solve the problems.
However, the full report was never released, leading to a ruling from the Information Commissioner that it should be published.
But the transport secretary, Patrick McLoughlin MP, today announced he had blocked the publication using freedom of information powers ‘in the public interest’.
Mr McLoughlin said the report was compiled using interviewees who had been assured of confidentiality and disclosing their comments would undermine future reviews of major governmental projects.
Anti-HS2 campaigners slammed the move, saying the Government was ‘hiding the truth’.
Aylesbury MP David Lidington this month wrote to Francis Maude, the minister responsible for the Major Projects Authority, saying his constituents were concerned about the report not being released.
Mr McLoughlin said today: “The major projects review was conducted to inform the development of the HS2 project.
“The public interest in ensuring that projects of this scale, importance and cost are properly controlled and overseen is very high indeed.
“The assurance of confidentiality is important in the conduct of the review.
“In my view, there is nothing in the nature or content of this particular report which outweighs that strong public interest against disclosure.”
The original report was put together in November 2011.
Campaigners said the move showed a lack of transparency.