Russell George: First Minister, last year, I note that the Wales Audit Office found that the impact of the integrated care fund in improving outcomes for service users remained unclear and there was little evidence of successful projects being mainstreamed into core budgets. So, can I ask how has the Welsh Government implemented the recommendations that the Wales Audit Office made, and what work has been...
Russell George: I also support David Melding's legislative proposal. Like Rhun ap Iorwerth, I'm also a campaigner in this area myself. I think we're all very aware of the Welsh Government's climate change declaration, and of course David Melding's referred to the UK Government's announcement yesterday to phase out petrol and diesel cars at a much earlier stage. So I think it is important that we accelerate...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, I'm going to raise a question that I have raised with you a number of times before, and that is about the management of Clywedog and Lake Vyrnwy reservoirs. Pictures show on social media, and video footage, great swathes of mid Wales underwater, including B roads and trunk roads and properties partly underwater as well. I have no doubt that, even...
Russell George: Can I thank the Minister for his statement and for the advanced copy as well? Can I perhaps answer the first question? I think a metro system to drive economic growth in south-west and north Wales is much needed, and we on these benches welcome those projects and the ambition that you've set out. I think it's also correct to say that the UK Government is investing a record amount in Wales's...
Russell George: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, under your watch, how many major transport schemes have cost substantially more and taken longer to complete than expected?
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. Of course, my question was with regard to transport schemes here in Wales, and this is my job—to scrutinise your performance here in this Parliament. Can I ask, Minister, or make the point that the performance of Welsh Government in delivering major road infrastructure projects has not at all been glowing? And I appreciate that you accept the frustration...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. I think it will be helpful as well for the residents to be able to listen to your own frustrations that the project hasn't been delivered on time. I want to go to a more positive footing here, but, of course, it's not the first and only project that has been mismanaged; I'll detail a couple and come to my final question. A year ago, you were delighted to...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to move the motion for our debate today, listed in the name of Darren Millar, and in doing so also say that we will, of course, not be supporting the Government's usual 'Delete all' amendment, but we will be supporting Plaid's amendments 2 and 7. I'd like to think that all of us in this Chamber can agree that a fit-for-purpose road network is...
Russell George: Yes, absolutely.
Russell George: Well, one doesn't have to not complement the other. I represent a constituency in mid Wales and, I have to say, it's very different to your constituency, with respect. You just can't—the public transport is not there. Unfortunately, to get to your nearest school, you're 10 miles away. You have to have an effective road infrastructure. But I don't disagree with you at all; I think they're...
Russell George: Yes, absolutely.
Russell George: Sorry, I heard most of your points, but I couldn't hear some of your points because my own side were talking. [Laughter.]
Russell George: They weren't heckling me. [Laughter.] I think some of your points that I heard were fair points; I don't disagree, Huw, at all. But I think that my response would be—. Well, I quote back the Minister for economy and transport himself, who said: 'over the 60-year appraisal period, there is more than £2 of benefit for each pound spent on the scheme, without touching on the wider economic...
Russell George: Will you take an intervention?
Russell George: By the same token, is it not important that when we have an independent inspector's report and inquiry that the principle also applies there?
Russell George: Will you take a quick intervention?
Russell George: And also electric vehicles, because electric vehicles need roads as well as buses, of course.
Russell George: I was looking at our motion, and I wonder why there's no reason to regret that you can't agree that you recognise the importance of roads as vital economic arteries which promote prosperity, or acknowledge the adverse economic and environmental impact of poor road connectivity. I could go on, but you don't recognise any of that. If you do recognise that, why are you deleting this?
Russell George: I was just going to say, I think it was said a couple of times during the debate, but, our motion doesn't say that we want to build more roads, it's talking about updating the current infrastructure that's there. I think that's an important distinction that needs to be clarified on our motion.
Russell George: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's transport priorities in mid Wales?
