Where is the benefit? Can anyone calculate it anyway?

I listened to Mr Phillip Hammond on the radio this morning - I think that what he said was that it was not his fault, it was Labour's fault - well, there's an original twist!

Of course, it relates to the fact that Derby train maker Bombardier has said it will review its UK operations after losing the lucrative Thameslink project to German rival Siemens. Read more, if you will

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/midlands/54353-bombardier-review-operations-after-contract-loss/

There are further and bigger questions.  I believe that part of the benefit of HS2 is said to be that it is good for the UK economy.  At the same time, if I heard Mr Hammond correctly, it is correct that all work should be put out to tender to get the best possible return per £ of our money spent. So, I guess that would mean that there is not much hope of UK industry getting any benefit from the multi billion pound HS2 spend.  So, does that mean that there is no benefit to the UK economy?

There is now, apparently, talk of the Chinese getting involved involved in HS2
http://www.againsths2.co.uk/2011/06/28/is-hs2-the-tory-election-bid-fund-that-could-threaten-the-economy/

Not sure if this is good news or bad news . . .good news if they will buy the whole lot and pay us the full cost (financial only of course, no one would be able to pay the full cost of the environmental havoc), bad news if their involvement is limited to tendering for parts of the building and supply part. I have no great experience of the Chinese but I do not think that they are noted for their stupidity . . .in which case, I can only assume that we lose again.

Once again, our attention is directed towards the ability of civil servants (in fairness, of some civil servants) to accurately and properly control things financial. It does not give us confidence in any estimate that comes from a government source

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/missing-in-action-mod-loses-6-3-billion-of-kit-1.1110257

Or maybe we are being nitpicking - it is only just over £6b that cannot be accounted for by the MoD. After all, that is only a 6 and a 3 and a load of noughts which must be nothing . . . .£6,300,000,000, only about £100 per man, woman, child and baby in the UK or about £250 per household.  Ah, that is about one third of the total amount raised by fuel duty in a year - (is that right?) so it is quite a lot of money . . . .