I very much welcome the Welsh Government’s amendment to this debate that welcomes the ministerial taskforce for the south Wales Valleys that includes my constituency of Islwyn. Just last week, I stood in Newbridge train station with the Member for Newport West and representatives from Network Rail and Arriva Trains to discuss the progress of the £38 million investment in the Ebbw Vale-Cardiff railway line, and highlighted the absolute need for the service to Newport, our nearest city.

Since the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line was opened in 2008, it has been a stunning success. The very latest investment sees, in my constituency of Islwyn, improvements to the station at Newbridge and the laying of additional track across a 7-mile stretch in order to increase capacity. This is the power of Welsh devolution in action, a Welsh Labour Government seeking to put in place transformational transport infrastructure that can revitalise and invigorate Valleys communities, such as Newbridge, Cross Keys, Risca and Pontymister and transform the lives of its people.

In 2015 the Ebbw Vale line was extended with £11.5 million investment from Welsh Government to open an Ebbw Vale town station. This has already improved access to jobs and services for people in Ebbw Vale, and all along the line has transformed access and mobility across its Valleys community. The stunning success of the line is unquestionable, with over 300,000 journeys annually. The Ebbw Vale Town station demonstrates how the line can be expanded as part of a strategic, holistic and multimodal transport interface, as highlighted by Huw Irranca-Davies.

I’m very much of the opinion that, one day, Crumlin should once again have a railway station on the line, and I know, as the line heads towards Cardiff, there’s also demand for a station in St Mellons, which could one day form a Cardiff parkway, linking with the main line to Swansea. These exciting developments are today, and in the future, being progressed by the Welsh Labour Government, using the levers at our disposal and pressing the UK Government to act where relevant powers still reside in Westminster and Whitehall.

Despite the Welsh Government’s call for the devolution of funding for rail infrastructure, the responsibility for its funding remains with the UK Government, and alas, we still await the promised electrification that they have so far failed to deliver for Wales. Maybe the Tory Members opposite would be willing to put a shift in and shake Theresa May’s money tree and get Wales some money. If only they were willing, they would also ensure Wales had the same treatment as the DUP have secured for Northern Ireland—that is the same parity of esteem, the same finance and same treatment.

As Members know, Caerphilly County Borough Council is part of the Cardiff capital region city deal, a deal that—[Interruption.] I have not got time, unfortunately. [Interruption.] I would like to finish—the Welsh Government has committed to contributing—[Interruption.]