[R] signifies the Member has declared an interest. [W] signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

I have accepted a third urgent question under Standing Order 12.66, and, before I ask Adam Price to ask the question, I want to thank the Deputy Presiding Officer for responding comprehensively to the point of order earlier this afternoon. I would only add that it’s fair to say that I’m always going to be minded to accept urgent questions when I believe Members deserve an opportunity to scrutinise a Government announcement of major public importance. As the Deputy Presiding Officer stated, the urgency of that scrutiny can be heightened by the approach of recess.

It’s possible that Members may be aware that the Business Committee will be looking at our procedures for questions on both urgent and topical issues in the new year, and I will be very eager to hear the opinions of the Members on the reforms that we’ll need to our procedures.

I now call on Adam brys—[Laughter.]—Adam Price to ask his urgent question.

Thank you kindly, Presiding Officer. At least, I think so.

Will the Minister provide further details of the multibillion pound infrastructure investment plan announced today? EAQ(5)0100(EI)

This morning, at a business breakfast event at Cardiff Airport, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure made a speech detailing progress with plans for infrastructure investment over the next five years. This investment, which includes major improvements to the M4, A55, A40 and A494, the delivery of a south Wales metro, the development of a north Wales metro, a new rail franchise, a ports development fund, the development of a third Menai crossing, improved, more sustainable bus services, and more, will be the largest Wales has seen in a generation.

I'm grateful to the Deputy Minister for standing in the breach here and answering this urgent question, that, today, the Government did announce what it said was the biggest investment in infrastructure since devolution, and yet, in a democracy, we would have expected that statement, that major claim, to be made in a parliament and not in an airport at a business breakfast. It's an extreme discourtesy to every one of the people that elected us. We're about to rename this place; maybe we should call ourselves a vacuum chamber, because of the absence of scrutiny that is increasingly characterising the way the Government is treating us.

As we heard in terms—[Interruption.] As we heard about the invisible PISA report earlier, it’s just not acceptable. I tried to find the detail, I tried to investigate the substance behind the soundbite, and there is no detail. We’ve had before this Government producing plans without money—now, we have money without a plan. So, can I ask the Deputy Minister—[Interruption.] Can I ask the Deputy Minister: what is the specific figure? What’s the specific figure in terms of the infrastructure investment? Can she say what is the status of the national transport financial plan? Is that now redundant or can we expect a new revised plan immediately? What’s the status of the Wales infrastructure investment plan, last updated in June 2015? Is that now redundant and when can we expect a new plan from the Minister? Can we have a proper democracy where we have real scrutiny? Otherwise, this place will become redundant as well.

Well, Presiding Officer, anybody would think it was towards the end of term. [Interruption.] And, indeed, because it was—[Interruption.] And, because it is towards the end of term, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure this morning made a speech to an audience of business and transport stakeholders in Wales in which he detailed a number of announcements that have been made in this Chamber in statements and in plans across this term. He did that as an end-of-term statement, and I can detail them to you again.

We have published our proposals for a national infrastructure commission for Wales, which is now out for public consultation. We launched a public consultation on the Welsh transport planning and appraisal guidance 2017; that is out for public consultation. The national transport finance plan, as Adam Price said, sets out an ambitious five-year rolling programme for transport projects the length and breadth of Wales. In my answer to his original question, I detailed them. I’m happy to do so again, if he wishes me to. These include works to improve safety and congestion on the A55, A494 and A548, for example, and investment of over £200 million in the Deeside corridor, which will be one of the most significant since devolution and will hugely boost the economy and sustainability of transport in north Wales. We’ve announced already the project for the A40 Llanddewi Velfrey to Penblewin improvement project. The preferred bidder will be announced in January, which is already a matter in front of the Assembly. The Cabinet Secretary was detailing all of the good work—[Interruption.] The Cabinet Secretary was detailing all—[Interruption.] The Cabinet Secretary was detailing—

Let’s hear the answer. Thank you, Minister.

[Continues.]—all of the good work that the Government has put in place to ensure that we have a sustainable and economically beneficial transport and infrastructure system for Wales, as he was right to do.

Can I fully endorse the views of Adam Price? It is a disgrace that the Cabinet Secretary could not be here today to bring to this Chamber what he delivered in his speech this morning. I’m not—[Interruption.] I’m not privy to that speech this morning, but what I would say to the Minister is: I’ve got two questions for you today—[Interruption.] I’m not privy to the speech that he gave this morning.

I can’t hear the question, neither can the Minister. Can you please calm down? Russell George.

The two specific questions I have, Minister, are: can I ask you, Minister, to outline what infrastructure projects will be designated for rural Wales, and, secondly, what specific projects the Cabinet Secretary will be bringing forward to deliver the sustainable bus network service that he has committed to? It is disappointing that the Cabinet Secretary is not here himself or delivered a statement today in order that Assembly Members could properly question him today.

The Cabinet Secretary is away on urgent business in London, protecting jobs and services in Wales. He could not possibly have anticipated the need to be here to answer an urgent question on what was an end-of-term speech in Cardiff Airport.

However, I’m quite happy to read, once again, the series of projects that he reviewed during his speech. The investment includes major improvements to the M4, A55, A40, A494, the delivery of a south Wales metro, the development of a north Wales metro, a new rail franchise, a ports development fund, the development of a third Menai crossing, improved and more sustainable bus services, and will be the largest Wales has seen in a generation. That was the import of his speech. I am currently arranging for the speech to be put on the website; it only requires translation to be put there.

I was a little alarmed as well to see this announcement being made this morning not in this place but in another Government-owned building down the road. Can I ask you—[Interruption.] Can I ask you, Minister, with specific reference to the investment that has been announced in north Wales, you’ve made a suggestion that it’s a simple reheat and microwaving of previous investment that has been announced in this Chamber and through this house—I’m not aware of the significant investment that you’ve referred to in respect of safety and congestion on the A55? Can you tell us whether that will include adding a hard shoulder to those parts of the A55 that do not currently have one, whether it will address the significant problems that we’ve had on a perennial basis with flooding along the A55, and whether those particular parts of the A55 where there is congestion on a daily basis, not just in the Deeside area, but elsewhere, will also be addressed as a result of this investment?

The work detailed for the A55 in north Wales is to improve both safety and congestion. The Cabinet Secretary’s speech this morning did not include details of the sort that are now being asked for, but I’m sure he’d be happy to write to you on the subject.

On the subject of it being in a Government-owned building, I feel obliged, Presiding Officer, to say that the first thing I did as a young lawyer when I came to Wales was the forced sale of Cardiff Airport out of the public sector because of how much money it was making, and I was delighted to be amongst the Government Ministers of a Government who took it back into the public sector when the private sector failed.

[Inaudible.] I’d like to ask the Deputy Minister, given the indignation that has been shown by Adam Price today—politicians in this Chamber and the public, in fairness, would be surprised, because we have been told right the way through this parliamentary term that Plaid Cymru and the Government are working hand in glove to develop these infrastructure projects, and, indeed, the infrastructure commission was meant to be coming forward. It does seem that there seems to be little or no dialogue going on on these projects, or is there no substance at all behind what Ken Skates announced today in Cardiff Airport, and it is merely just another press release that more and more people are going to start to see through? Can you answer—? [Interruption.] Well, no, it’s not a speech, it’s asking—[Interruption.] It is asking—[Interruption.] It is asking—[Interruption.] It is asking—[Interruption.] It is asking the Deputy Minister to confirm how Government is functioning, is working, and looking to deliver these projects, especially when we are told week after week that there are these cross-party groups working within Government that clearly do not seem to be working and, ultimately, we’re living on spin.

I’d be delighted to do that. As I said—and I’ve said it several times now, but I’m happy to say it again—this morning, at a business breakfast event for transport and business stakeholders, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure made a speech detailing progress on plans for infrastructure investment that have been brought properly in front of this Assembly and which the Assembly has to scrutinise. Presiding Officer, I will not test your patience by reading out the very significant investment projects—[Interruption.]

Thank you, Minister, for not testing my patience, although the last 10 minutes probably have. I would say that I think that the lesson from the last 10 minutes is, if Government policies are to be packaged as announcements, then they are best made here to this Chamber so that we are all able to scrutinise and hear those statements—[Interruption.] Calm down.

This will be our last voting session before Christmas and of 2016. Can I wish you all a happy Christmas? Even after that.

Nadolig llawen i chi gyd. Ac felly, oni bai bod tri Aelod yn dymuno imi ganu’r gloch, rydw i’n symud yn syth i’r cyfnod pleidleisio.