There is "almost no exposure to the rail sector" should other companies suffer the same fate as Carillion, a transport minister has said.

Jesse Norman added that major road contracts had been written to ensure that joint venture partners would pick up any obligations.

His comments came as Labour put fresh pressure on ministers over the collapse of Carillion in the Commons.

The Wolverhampton-based construction and infrastructure group entered liquidation on Monday after struggling with £900 million of debt and a £590 million pension deficit.

It was one third of a joint venture called CEK which was awarded a £1.4 billion contract last July to build some of the tunnels for phase one of HS2.

Its partners were French civil engineering group Eiffage and construction group Kier and all three firms were forced to give assurances they could step in to deliver the work if one of the partners collapsed.

Earlier this week, Kier said it had put in place contingency plans for the projects it was employed on with Carillion and was working closely with clients in order to achieve continuity of service.

A spokesman for HS2 added that work would continue as planned with no unnecessary or additional exposure to the taxpayer.

Shadow transport minister Rachael Maskell, speaking at transport questions, said: "The vultures are already circling over the Carillion contract carcasses which will place these projects into future risk.

"What due diligence has he instructed officials to undertake of all contractors and will he end his market speculation by taking these contracts back in house?"

Mr Norman replied: "If she'd done her homework, she'd know that actually there's almost no exposure to the rail sector through the companies that she mentions.

"The fact of the matter is that these contracts have been, in many cases, reinforced and proofed, certainly on the road side, the ones which I obviously know best, but I can refer the question she asked further to the rail minister.

"On the road side, you have joint venture partners who are jointly and severally obliged to pick up these obligations and will do so."

Earlier in the session, Ms Maskell said some Carillion staff working on transport projects had had contracts suspended and asked Mr Norman if projects already under way would continue with the current workforce and apprentices.

"Anyone turning up to work on those schemes through subcontractors will continue to be paid in the normal way," the minister said in reply.

"It's important to get that message out there and not to spread misinformation or misunderstanding about it."