Russell George: In a moment, yes. I stand to be corrected, but certainly the previous First Minister, I understood, did see Cardiff Airport being returned to private ownership, but I'm not sure what the Government's position is now. There are two interventions now. I'll go for Mick first.
Russell George: I'm happy to take an intervention from Carwyn Jones as well. [Laughter.] I'll answer that.
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank the Government for bringing forward this debate today? I think this is an appropriate debate to have, and I also appreciate, when the Government tabled this debate, at that point, Flybe hadn't gone into administration, which makes it, of course, all the more important that we have this debate today. And like the Minister said, it's also right...
Russell George: I'm very pleased, Minister, that in my constituency I have a number of well-established small and medium-sized construction companies very eager to undertake the building of council homes for the local authority, and the local authority is also keen that those companies also undertake the work. At the moment, the process does seem very over-complicated, and I wonder how the Welsh Government...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, you mentioned in your statement that potential enhanced monitoring at Cardiff Airport could come into force at short notice. So, I appreciate that it's not happening at the moment, but what would be the triggers for that? And if I'm allowed, Deputy Presiding Officer, I'll ask one more quick question—thank you. There is a concern about the...
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Yes, absolutely.
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: 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: 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 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: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, under your watch, how many major transport schemes have cost substantially more and taken longer to complete than expected?
