THE multibillion-pound HS2 rail project has been branded "a sin" by a senior church leader because it is costing so much money.

The Bishop of Chester, the Rt Rev Peter Forster, argued the scheme was "unnecessarily expensive" and could be done far more cheaply.

The Anglican cleric made his criticism of the £55.7 billion project during a debate in the House of Lords on the Chancellor's recent Spring Statement.

Former Treasury chief Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court also told ministers that the planned high-speed railway should be scrapped, with public money targeted at schemes that gave the highest return, such as roads.

Speaking at Westminster, the bishop told peers: "If you want to find good things to tax I always say start with sin. Find a new sin and tax it.

"I rather agree that HS2 is a sin.

"Not for having capacity, which I am all in favour of, but in doing it in such an unnecessarily expensive way.

"Trains go quite fast enough for me as they are.

"It could have been done far more cheaply."

Mr Forster also called for more direct government action to help tackle the "chronic lack" of low-cost and social housing, arguing the market had "failed to deliver".

He said: "As I look at the housing issues, it just seems to me there is something missing in the analysis in making it all joined up to put the market-based solutions together with appropriate government initiatives.

"If the market delivers 300,000 units by the mid-2020s, I shall eat my cassock."

The bishop went on to press for funding to be restored to children's and youth services, which had witnessed "huge cuts".

While welcoming the extra £100 million for police forces in England to help tackle knife crime, Mr Forster said it was only "addressing the problem from one dimension".

Urging a more joined up approach, he said: "It's not just the symptoms of knife crime, its the sources of knife crime that have to be addressed."

Independent crossbencher Lord Macpherson, who was permanent secretary at the Treasury for 11 years, said: "Public investment needs to be focused on projects which yield the highest return.

"That probably means more expenditure on roads and I know I am in a minority but it also suggests that we should cancel HS2."

He also urged the Government to prioritise further education, skills and training.

Lord Macpherson said: "If Brexit achieves what its proponents suggest we will no longer be able to rely on the Polish taxpayer to provide the economy with the skills it needs."

And he called for "a long hard look" at the triple lock protection on state pension increases.

"The fact is the elderly have contributed very little to fiscal consolidation," he added.