The next item is the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure on rail services and metro procurement. And I call on the Cabinet Secretary to make the statement—Ken Skates.

Diolch, Llywydd. Today, I would like to provide an update to Members on progress made with the Wales and borders rail service and metro procurement. Our vision is for a modern, efficient rail service, using modern technology and working practices to deliver considerable service improvements for passengers throughout Wales.

This agenda brings with it undoubtable challenges, but also fantastic opportunities to deliver on our wider aspirations for a bigger and better multimodal integrated public transport network, serving the needs of passengers, walkers, and cyclists all over Wales, whether they are from Wales or visitors looking to see as much as possible of our beautiful country. The agenda will be supported by a number of ambitious interventions, including rail electrification and enhancement schemes, the north Wales metro, improvements to the road network and the M4, and lasting improvements to bus services.

We are delivering these interventions in a partially devolved context. However, this is not satisfactory. We have pressed the UK Government to devolve control and funding over rail infrastructure to Wales, as recommended by the Commission on Devolution in Wales. And, in the absence of devolved funding and control, Wales must be given its fair share of infrastructure investment, noting the historic underinvestment here in Wales, and we continue to make this case. We have, however, made good progress.

Joyce Watson took the Chair.

In 2014, responsibility for the specification and procurement of the next Wales and borders rail service was transferred to the Welsh Government. In 2015, we established a not-for-profit company, Transport for Wales, to help advise and support us with public transport projects, in particular to help procure rail services. Presently, its focus is procuring the Wales and borders rail services to meet passenger needs across Wales. However, this will develop in the years to come.

We intend to create a rail service that benefits the whole of Wales, communities along the border and in England. We have a unique opportunity through the Cardiff capital region city deal, which includes £734 million for the south Wales metro. The capability and approach that we develop in delivering the south Wales metro will put us in a good position to roll out the metro concept in north Wales, and, indeed, other parts of Wales, in a way that best suits local needs. Following consultation and engagement, we identified our priorities, which reflect the rail service that people in Wales want. Based on those priorities, and with the support of Transport for Wales, we are undertaking a procurement exercise for the next rail service contract. We have been successful in attracting four high-quality bidders.

I am pleased that stakeholders have participated and engaged positively and proactively to help us develop our thinking for future rail services. Transport for Wales is today publishing the summary of responses to the recent public consultation. I welcome the recent report by members of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills committee on the next rail service. The report rightly recognises the challenges that the Government faces in the future. I look forward to publishing my responses to the recommendations of the report in due course. We want all of Wales to benefit from more efficient rail services on better, more modern trains. Through this procurement, we want to ensure a sustainable model that meets the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This approach will enable us to make the most of every penny that’s invested, to provide a long-term future for our communities.

We expect a number of outcomes from our procurement exercise and for future rail services in Wales. Through the procurement process, we have incentivised bidders to develop high-quality bids that exceed our expectations. We have also included carbon-reduction targets, with incentives to improve over the life of the contract. As a minimum, I expect that current services and frequencies are maintained, as well as growth in services in prioritised and much needed areas. Alongside this, we want to see improvements in the quality of rolling stock, such as the provision of at-seat charging points, more effective luggage and bicycle storage, and controlled emissions toilets for a cleaner network. Work is also under way for the provision of free passenger Wi-Fi at the 50 busiest stations in Wales and on those trains not already fitted with the necessary equipment.

I announced yesterday the addition of five extra four-carriage trains to increase the amount of rolling stock available in the current franchise. The introduction of these trains will allow for persons of reduced mobility compliance works to be made to the existing class 150 and 158 stock and will provide options for increasing capacity on busy routes. The extra trains will also provide opportunities for the new franchisee to deliver improvements early in the new Wales and borders rail services contract.

I expect new improved rolling stock to be delivered early within the new rail services contract so that passengers get the benefit as soon as possible and that trains are fully accessible to those with limited mobility. I expect the introduction of journey time improvements and enhancements to services, including enhanced north-south services in each direction in the morning and evening with better quality rolling stock, and also increased train services on Sundays throughout Wales.

At the end of this month, I will be publishing a summary of the Welsh Government’s requirements for the next Wales and borders rail service and the south-east Wales metro. We continue to work with the UK Government to transfer the relevant powers needed to successfully deliver and run future rail services. Whilst this is happening, we are proceeding with the procurement with the agreement of the Secretary of State for Transport under an agency agreement between the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers. Due to the cross-border nature of rail services, there has been close working between the Welsh Government and the Department for Transport. Discussions are also ongoing between officials, supported by Transport for Wales, and Network Rail regarding the transfer of the core Valleys lines to Welsh Government, opening the opportunity for us to ask our bidders to put forward innovative and cost-effective rail solutions in the region.

A quality and reliable railway service that is part of an integrated public transport system across Wales is central to our vision. This is also reflected in the ‘Moving North Wales Forward—Our Vision for North Wales and the North East Wales Metro’ brochure. The north-east Wales metro will be a part of a wider transport modernisation programme across the whole of north Wales that recognises the opportunities for achieving economic growth and well-being that can be realised from improved connectivity for all transport modes within the region and across borders.

Effective cross-border working is essential if we are to attract investment and achieve the maximum benefits, and we are identifying a range of potential interventions for the short, medium, and long term, to maximise the benefit of cross-border connectivity into England, Ireland, and beyond.

I am committed to working with partners across Wales and across the border to identify and develop these further initiatives and, in particular, to improve transport integration across all modes, including integrated ticketing.

I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today and for his comments in regard to the work of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee. I look forward to his acceptance, I hope, of all of our recommendations.

First, with regard to the procurement process, your letter of 12 July to me on the merits and risks associated with publishing the full draft specification to Assembly Members, notes that you will not publish the draft specifications in full. However, you’ve not made it clear either in your letter or in your statement today whether or not the final specification will be published, when it is published, when it—. I’ll start that again. You’ve not made it clear either in your letter to me or your statement today whether or not the final specification will be published when it is issued to bidders in the final procurement stage, once the invitation to tender is issued. You have previously confirmed that you will also not publish the evaluation criteria in full. In oral evidence on 6 April, the Welsh Government director of transport also appeared to indicate that the final specification would not be made public when it’s issued to bidders, instead saying that the Welsh Government could consider publishing the final specification once the contract has been awarded next year.

Now, I do understand that it is normal procurement practice for those public authorities procuring rail franchises in Britain to publish the specification, and I’ll give you an example, the Department for Transport’s invitation to tender for the East Anglia franchise was published in full in September 2015. Also, Transport Scotland published the full invitation to tender for the ScotRail franchise in January 2014. So, it does therefore appear that the Welsh Government is taking a different approach to procurement and moving away from, perhaps, established practice. You have not formally clarified whether or not the final specification will be published, so I would be grateful if you could put this on the record today and explicitly say whether the invitation to tender, including the final specification, will be published when it is issued to bidders this summer. And, if not, I would be grateful if you could say why not, given that invitations to tender and specifications for British rail franchises are generally published and commonly face public scrutiny once they have been published.

I will say, Cabinet Secretary, this is a contract that’s estimated at in excess of £4 billion for both the franchise itself and the metro infrastructure. It’s, of course, the largest ever awarded by the Welsh Government and there’s a great deal of interest in its content. I’m sure you’ll agree with that. So, do you, therefore, agree with me that transparency in such a large contract is in the public interest, especially given the evidence from stakeholders that suggests that the procurement process has been opaque from the start?

I would like to briefly ask a few questions on rolling stock. I think it’s good news that Wales is going to get the new class 319 trains for use on the Wales and borders franchise from 2018 to 2021, but can you outline, Cabinet Secretary, whether or not the five units will be delivered at once, how many units will be taken out of service and how long to make them DDA compliant, which part of the network will these trains operate on, and what additional capacity will be created as a result of the new rolling stock?

Finally, acting Presiding Officer, I think it is essential that the Welsh Government maintains public confidence that the new franchise has been specifically designed to deliver value for rail users in Wales. I therefore hope that the Cabinet Secretary will answer my questions in a way that demonstrates how the new Wales and borders franchise will guarantee the realisation of public demand for a rail service that delivers fair and affordable fares, new trains, modern trains, an integrated network and a more environmentally friendly service.

Can I thank the Member for his comments and questions, and thank him, again, for chairing the committee’s inquiry into the new franchise? It was an excellent piece of work, a very thorough and comprehensive report. I’m looking forward to responding to it in full. Meanwhile, I think it’s fair to say that the recommendations are very much in tune with the Welsh Government’s aspirations for a better, more integrated rail service, one that’s integrated well with bus travel and active travel.

I should say at the outset that, in order to ensure that there is fair and open competition, and to protect the integrity of the procurement process, it’s not always going to be possible to release or comment on specific details on the procurement, as to do so would put Welsh Government at risk of legal challenge. Now, the Member raises the important question of the draft specification and final specification—immensely complicated pieces of work, incredibly complex, and we need to secure the best value for taxpayers and the best possible outcomes in a competitive process. For that reason, there is a need to balance transparency of the process with best value and the best outcomes. So, whilst we will not be publishing the specification, and whilst our competitive dialogue approach is distinctly different to many that are being adopted in other areas, as I said in my statement I will be publishing a summary of the Welsh Government’s requirements for the next Wales and borders rail service and for the metro as well.

In terms of the rolling stock, I was pleased to be able to announce additional rolling stock. The details of the exact roll-out of each component will be presented in due course to Members, but it will be utilised in a way that enables other parts of the rolling stock catalogue to be adapted accordingly for people with limited mobility. And in terms of the additional capacity, that will be rolled out wherever current capacity is stretched. It will therefore be used on a demand-led basis.

As a regular rail passenger and commuter, I’ve taken a keen interest in the next franchise and I know there are many other Members in the Chamber that are in the same position. Now, we know that in terms of who will run the Wales and borders franchise, four private sector bidders have come forward. There’s an interest in rail nationalisation and in public ownership from all corners of public opinion. The usual reason that people want the railways to be in public hands is around the question of profits disappearing from the network, and in many cases not even going into private hands but into the state railways of other countries—and the irony of that is not lost on most people.

Even in Wales, where railway profits are low and subsidies are high, there is still profit leaving the Welsh railway network and going to Germany. Now, we know that the legislative situation at the UK level appears not to allow for public sector bidders to compete for these franchises, and the Wales Act 2017, which the Labour Party here supported and my party did not, continues to disallow public sector ownership. So, I want to turn to the question of not-for-dividend or not-for-profit models. You’ve repeatedly committed to these in your various manifestos. Is it the case that a not-for-profit rail, as per your manifesto, is not happening and cannot happen now within this next franchise?

Moving on to the question of overcrowding and quality of rolling stock, I noticed the announcement you made yesterday that five new trains are being provided next year—five. We know that the greatest problem with the current franchise is that it was awarded on a no-growth basis. That mistake was recognised by previous Welsh Governments, but very little could be done about it. Now we have to avoid the mistakes of the past and have a way of dealing with any challenges that arise in the future. A break clause would allow the next franchise to be reviewed at regular intervals during the length of the contract. It would also allow future Welsh Governments, including a future Plaid Cymru Government, the option to take rail into public ownership if the legislation changed and it became legal to do so. So, will the Cabinet Secretary be including a break clause to enable that to happen?

My final question is on electrification, and it’s linked to yesterday’s rolling stock announcement. Electric trains, in whatever form, will provide a cleaner, greener and more comfortable passenger experience. Is electrification still on track in Wales, and will it be rolled out according to timetable?

Can I thank the Member for her questions and the keen interest that she has in rail transport across Wales? Until we have the powers that are equivalent to Scotland, the Member is right, we would not be able to enable public bodies to run our rail services. But I can tell her that in the new franchise—I think I’m on public record as saying that profits that have been earned in the current period have been excessive, but they will be capped in the next franchise, whilst there will also be incentives for the operator partner to ensure that services are improved, both in terms of quality and in terms of the regularity of services.

In terms of Transport for Wales, this was established by the Welsh Government as a not-for-profit company to provide support and expertise to the Welsh Government in connection to transport projects in Wales. Now, although Transport for Wales is currently designing and undertaking the procurement process for the next Wales and borders rail services and metro, on behalf of the Welsh Government, once the franchise has been let, Transport for Wales will oversee the management and the joining up of services, such as marketing and integrated ticketing, which could be, again, delivered on the basis of not-for-profit principles. But over time the aspiration is to secure the necessary powers that would enable Transport for Wales to take on a much wider range of transport functions, indeed similar in nature to the operations of Transport for London, and the way that it manages the public transport network in the UK’s capital.

The Member is absolutely right that the franchise that we adopted was at best flimsy, and today is not fit for purpose. It was based on a zero-growth assumption at a time when many experts were predicting reduced passenger numbers on railway services. That has proven to be anything but the case. Over the next franchise period we expect passenger numbers to increase by 74 per cent, and it’s essential, as part of the franchise process, to be able to demonstrate how bidders are going to be addressing the increase in passenger numbers. But there will be break clauses that would enable the Government to review the effective operation of the franchise and which would provide the Government with regular opportunities to assess the success of the eventual winner of the bidding process.

With regard to electrification, we’ve been very clear that electrification must be delivered in a timely way to Cardiff and must extend across to Swansea, as was agreed. Yes, it comes with a considerable price tag, but the fact of the matter is that, during the current control period, Wales has fared incredibly poorly in terms of the amount that we’ve had spent on Network Rail’s Wales franchise area. Only in the region of about 1 per cent of UK investment has been spent on the network in the Wales and borders franchise area—that is wholly inadequate given that it comprises something in the region of 6 per cent of the UK’s network. So, it’s absolutely essential that the modernisation of the south Wales line continues through to Swansea. Indeed, it’s essential that we receive our fair share of investment in rail infrastructure, and if that is not possible it should be devolved to us with a fair funding settlement. It’s also worth saying, I think, that modernisation of the rail network, and particularly in regard, again, to electrification, is essential in delivering on our objectives to decrease our carbon footprint. In terms of the decarbonisation agenda, if the UK Government is not able to modernise the railway network right through south Wales, then it will have a major impact on our carbon objectives, and that would be something that we would not be content with whatsoever.

It’s also essential that, if the UK Government deemed electrification was not to continue through to Swansea, then the money would still, in our view, have to come to Wales. It should not be spent elsewhere than Wales. As I say, if the UK Government does not believe that it should electrify that line, or modernise the entire network, then give us the powers and the resource and we’ll do it.

Many of my constituents are very interested in the development of the metro and the awarding of the new franchise, and have attended quite a lot of meetings that have involved discussing the specifications and other consultations held by Transport for Wales. They did hope to see publicly the specification document, and I note the Cabinet Secretary did say earlier on that he would not be publishing the specification document, but a summary of the requirements. So, I’ve been asked to put forward their views that they really feel that they should see as much as possible being made publicly available, because, obviously, they don’t expect to see anything that is commercially sensitive, but they do expect to see some very clear bidding specifications and criteria to be in the public domain, because it is of great public interest, and I would be grateful if you could reassure me about how much will be made public. Also, I think one of the recommendations from the business committee was that there should be a passenger-friendly description, because this is a unique way of doing procurement, and I think it’s probably the first time it has been done in the UK. So, I think it’s really clear that the fact that it is unique, that it doesn’t in any way move away from openness and transparency—. So, I want the Cabinet Secretary to respond to that.

Then the other issue is that I really welcome the money for the new rolling stock, the new trains, that was announced yesterday. I note that £1 million has been put in by Arriva, which is very welcome in view of the fact that there is obviously going to be a bidding process for the franchise very soon. I’d like reassurance that those trains will continue to be available whoever wins the new franchise.

Can I take that final point first? I can assure the Member that the rolling stock will be available so that, as soon as possible in the new franchise, passengers will be able to experience improvements in terms of the quality of the trains that they’re carried on. In terms of the specification, I will endeavour to ensure that the requirements, when they are published as a summary document, are as full and as accessible to passengers as possible. The Member has consistently represented her constituents with passion and determination as far as rail transport and the south Wales metro in particular are concerned, and I would look forward to further communication with her based on the engagement that she has with her constituents. I think it’s worth saying again that Transport for Wales is publishing the response to their latest consultation today, and I think that will be helpful in pointing to those areas that have concerned passengers right across Wales most, and how that then, when the summary document of the requirements is published—how they match up very well. There have been two consultations that have taken place during this process. They’ve attracted a significant number of responses from across Wales, and that’s in no small part because of the work of the Member and others in this Chamber in promoting the importance of the next franchise and the development of the south-east Wales metro.

I’m sure all of us in the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee will welcome the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary of the funds for the addition of new rolling stock, particularly as we’ve heard many times in our inquiries the problems of shortages of suitable rolling stock. Cabinet Secretary, as you know, the central Valleys lines are a crucial part of the jigsaw that will make up the south Wales metro. So, does the Cabinet Secretary have any firm commitment to the type of rolling stock for these lines, especially with regard to whether they will include light rail options? Because, as the Cabinet Secretary knows, light rail will not accommodate freight. So, can he give us a commitment that freight will still be part of the railway strategy for the core Valleys lines, and also, of course, for those lines outside that designation?

Can I thank the Member for his questions and say that, in terms of the core Valleys lines, it’s absolutely essential that services are as frequent as possible, and not just that they are frequent, but they are also reliable? We’re mode agnostic during this process, but what we have said to the bidders is that we expect the transport that’s provided within the metro area to be fully integrated, and we would expect whatever solutions that are deployed to be reliable and to meet those growing passenger numbers that are forecasted, and I think, now, are widely recognised as being accurate.

Thanks, Cabinet Secretary, for the statement today. Can I start by welcoming yesterday’s announcement, alongside colleagues, about the extra rolling stock to increase capacity? I’m sure like many colleagues here, my inbox was full of correspondence from constituents regarding restrictions with our current rolling stock, particularly when you find yourself travelling from north to south Wales or vice versa, either on a single carriage or a very crowded two-carriage train. I’m sure, Cabinet Secretary, you will be familiar with that experience. Indeed, in your statement today you talk about the enhanced north to south Wales services in each direction in the morning and evening, and the better quality rolling stock as part of that, and how the procurement exercise will look for future rail services, and looking at improvements that include things like making it actually modern-day travel—so, the provision of charging points. Whilst it’s brilliant to see the Wi-Fi on a lot of Arriva trains, and it has revolutionised my experience on the train, I think it’d be quite nice if you could actually plug in and charge your now Wi-Fi enabled iPad whilst on the journey. I look forward to seeing that brought in across rolling stock in the future.

Whilst north-south improvements are key, I think, as you’ll be aware, east-west links and vice versa are crucial to the economy in north-east Wales. I was pleased to see the work finally commencing on the Halton curve this week. I wondered whether you could elaborate on what you say in your statement about the close working between the Welsh Government and the Department for Transport, but also, actually, what work Transport for Wales has done and will do in terms of working with those operators over the border in the north-west of England, such as Merseytravel, to make sure that we truly have an interconnected service across the border in north Wales.

Just one final thing. You say in the statement that

‘The north-east Wales metro will be a part of a wider transport modernisation programme across north Wales that recognises the opportunities for achieving economic growth and well-being that can be realised from improved connectivity for all transport modes within the region and across borders.’

That’s absolutely key to a constituency like mine, where there’s only currently one mainline station, so, actually, the involvement of buses, and making that interconnected, is crucial. Also, whilst I welcome the announcement of additional stations at the Deeside industrial park, which will be key to getting constituents of mine in the west to work—I know we’ve recently made those announcements, but, perhaps, in the future further consideration could be given to looking at whether additional stations could be on that line, perhaps at Greenfield, which would not only connect people going to work from the west of Flintshire to the east, but would actually serve to connect with the buses to, perhaps, regenerate the town of Holywell, and could also provide good links to Mostyn docks, which I feel embodies the link between the energy of the west of north Wales and the advanced manufacturing of the east.

Can I thank Hannah Blythyn for her questions, specifically for the important point that she raised about cross-border collaboration in terms of rail travel? The Member will be aware of the Growth Track 360 prospectus, which has been put together by the cross-border rail taskforce, which includes representatives from Wales as well as from the Cheshire and Warrington local enterprise partnership area and Merseyside. I think it’s essential, in the development of a north Wales growth deal bid, and, likewise, growth deals on the English side, that the Growth Track 360 prospectus ambitions are factored into the asks that are made of the UK Government in particular to ensure that the improvements to infrastructure on the English side of the border tie in well with improvements on the Welsh side of the border as well.

I think it’s also important, as we develop the vision for a north-east Wales metro, to consider those communities that are currently not connected to the rail network or bus network. The Member raises two particular communities: one is Mostyn, where there is a growing and expanding port, and the other is Greenfield, a historic community that is home to a considerable number of people. Both would be better served by an integrated metro system that has bus services that are reliable and frequent working with rail services that, again, are more frequent across the north Wales main line.

The Member is also right when she says that the quality of the passenger experience must be sufficient so as to encourage more people to travel more regularly by train rather than to act as a deterrent—likewise on bus services as well. We have seen good investment in buses recently. I’m pleased that we’ve been able to support Arriva Trains Wales in the announcement yesterday, but we believe that in the next franchise, the expectations that passengers should have for the Wales and borders franchise should be no less than those that you would have anywhere else in western Europe. That’s why we are asking the bidders to be as ambitious as possible in ensuring that the rolling stock is of the highest quality with all modern technology and comforts available to passengers.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement. Following the announcement yesterday about the use of money from the public purse to ensure additional carriages for Wales, how can we have any confidence that the Welsh Government can procure a worthwhile franchise for Wales when these new trains announced yesterday actually equate to the addition of a few second-hand trains from the 1980s, and are therefore merely an addition to the inappropriate and outdated rolling stock of the past, which are a blight on Wales? We have staff who are younger than this.

Can I thank Dai Lloyd for his question? But I think the premise is slightly wrong. The reason that we’ve intervened to support the rail network in the current time is because of the historic underfunding by UK Government in the infrastructure of the rail network, and also because the franchise agreement that was reached more than a decade ago was so poorly drawn up. The new franchise is going to be designed to address those growing passenger numbers, which we expect to rise by more than 70 per cent, and then, consequently, we expect there to be more trains operating and we expect to see better quality trains deployed as soon as possible in the next franchise. We intervened out of a duty to passengers who should be put first by the next operator and by this operator, and we will continue to prioritise passenger interest above profit and ensure that the experience of travelling on Wales’s trains is improved.

I’ve got a number of speakers who want to be called, so if individuals can get to their questions, maybe I can get through the list, and if Ministers can equally be brief. Jenny Rathbone.

Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Three points. One: I’m very pleased to see you’re going to put carbon reduction targets into your procurement process. That’s in line with increasing support for action on climate change, as captured in the WWF survey that was published today, ‘Message in a Bottle’. That means that people have just got to have it made easier for them to be able to complete their journeys by metro. So, I’d like to make a plea for Cardiff-based stations as part of the metro, so that if you want to relocate your business to Pontypridd, you don’t have to go back into Cardiff Central or Queen Street in order to get to Pontypridd; you can go from wherever you’re living. And, as Julie Morgan has said, there hasn’t been a great deal of engagement opportunities for the public, but I think that is one of the things that’s coming in loud and clear from my constituents—that it’s got to be made to work for people where they live and ensure that there are alternatives to going by the motor car.

The second point is that I’m a bit puzzled by—. I welcome the fact you’ve bought this new rolling stock that was announced yesterday, but I just wondered who owns these trains, because I thought the whole purpose of having franchises was that they made the investment. Now, I appreciate that the UK Government screwed up completely in deciding there’d be no growth in Wales, which is rather symptomatic of the attitude they have towards Wales, and the unfortunate lack of investment we’ve had—so it would be useful if you could just simply clarify on that.

I think the other thing that concerns me is the ongoing lack of progress on devolving the powers that the Welsh Government needs in order to be able to procure both the rail franchise and the metro. I understand from the economy committee’s report that there’s even uncertainty over this £125 million that the UK Government is supposedly promising. Are they still insisting that we go through the agony of full electrification when we’ve seen just how long it’s taken on the London to Cardiff line? There are many other ways in which we could do this that are much more in line with modern technologies, including battery and including hydrogen power. We don’t need full electrification of the Valleys lines in order to achieve what we want to achieve. But I suppose it’s symptomatic of the long-standing lack of investment in the Welsh railway system that today, unfortunately, a building has collapsed onto the line this afternoon, and the Cardiff to Newport line is completely closed. I saw this building as I was going along yesterday and thought it looked a bit dodgy, but I’m glad it didn’t collapse when I was going past. But I suppose it’s symptomatic of the need for real investment in Wales, and the disappointment that we’re not going to get any Barnett consequentials from the HS2 announcement.

Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for her questions? I’ll try to be as brief as possible, but the Member is absolutely right to say that carbon reduction targets must be stretching, and they will be for the entire course of the franchise. It’s essential that the metro enables, as the Member outlines, communities to be better linked so that people can travel as swiftly and seamlessly as possible between their homes, places of work and services. It’s also important that services are attractive and convenient for the same reasons I gave to other Members.

We are making good progress, in terms of the procurement exercise, in our dealings with the Department for Transport, particularly in those three key areas that have been concerning officials: time, most of all, including the transfer of core Valleys lines assets; appropriate funding; and the transfer of functions Order, the agency agreement. All are making good progress, including the question of funding and the £125 million that we have been assured is available for the Valleys lines. In terms of the options, the Member actually raised two innovative solutions for alternatives to conventional rail—one was hydrogen and the other was battery—the bidders are being encouraged to develop options that are innovative and that suit passenger needs above all else. Again, in terms of the carriages, they will be available at the start of the next franchise. It’s absolutely essential that passengers have faith in the new franchise operator and, therefore, it will be important that new rolling stock is deployed as soon as possible after the franchise has been awarded and begins operation.

Cabinet Secretary, I welcome your statement today and in particular the comments you made about Sunday services. This is a really big issue for my constituents, who are currently facing services just once every two hours on the rail link through to Aberdare. I’d welcome any further detail you could provide about the provision of Sunday services. We’re not living in 1870s Wales any more, where people went to chapel on a Sunday morning and then the rest of the day was a day of rest. I’m dealing with casework from constituents who are unable to access job opportunities currently because of the lack of rail services on a Sunday.

In addition to that, I’d like to say that by looking at the metro procurement solely through the lens of the rail franchise, I think sometimes we miss the opportunity to really discuss the importance of the bus provision. So, I’d welcome some more details on that as well. Particularly when we’re looking at raising the living standards of our Valleys communities, those areas that are furthest from the jobs market with the highest levels of poverty are usually those areas most geographically removed from the rail network themselves. So, the importance of the bus provision of the metro really can’t be overstated there.

Again, just to finish, if I can tie into what I said earlier about Sunday services, there are many, many communities in my constituency, and I’m sure across the south Wales Valleys, where there are absolutely no bus services on a Sunday. So, I think it’s absolutely crucial for both rail and bus that we look to really drive that aspect of Sunday services. Thank you.

I’d like to thank Vikki Howells for her questions, not just today, but questions that she’s raised on numerous occasions as we look to develop a franchise agreement that better suits the needs of her constituents and people across Wales. The Member is absolutely right: the nature of work and the way of life have both changed in Wales and around the world in recent decades, to the extent that we should now expect public transport services on weekend days to be far, far better than they were in the 1980s and 1990s and some parts of the world even today. So, I can assure the Member that there will be improved services on Sundays, not just in terms of rail services under the new franchise, but also with the work that’s taking place in parallel on reforming bus services in Wales.

The Member will be aware that there was a recent consultation where a number of recommendations were outlined. The response to the consultation was healthy. We are now working through those responses. It’s my view that bus services, since deregulation, have not served the purpose of ensuring people can get to and from services and work, swiftly and smoothly, above the profit motives of operators. We see something in the region of 100 million passenger journeys taking place on buses every year, and yet we, as a combined public service—Welsh Government, local government—spend more than £200 million on local bus services every year. So, it’s therefore clear that we should expect a better degree of bus provision across Wales and provision that is more attuned to the needs of passengers.

In terms of the ability for people to get to and from work, it’s quite an astonishing fact that in the Growth Track 360 area of Britain, about a quarter of all people who have a job interview refuse to go on the grounds that they simply cannot access transport in order to get to their job interview. That’s a shocking statistic. Bus travel can be one of the biggest enablers in terms of getting people out of unemployment and into the workplace, which, in turn, is one of the principal methods of eliminating poverty.

And finally, Hefin David.

Thank you, Chair. I’m sure the whole Chamber would want to recognise what has happened in Cardiff with the collapse of the building in Splott and the closure of the Cardiff to Newport line, and to wish the emergency services and the injured person all the very best.

The Cabinet Secretary will recognise that the economy committee, in their inquiry, asked—. The Welsh Government asked the UK Government in 2011 for extra diesel rolling stock and they told them in no uncertain terms that they couldn’t have it because of the electrification of the lines, which has led us partly to this problem today. So, the Welsh Government did take timely action.

But, I would like to pursue two questions that Russell George raised and ask for a little bit more detail. The extra carriages are five times four, which is being advertised as 20 extra trains. How can they split, and can they be split in a way that will maximise efficiency? Or do they have to be used in blocks of four? The Rhymney to Cardiff line is desperate for extra trains at peak times, and just two of those trains, for example, would be helpful on those lines, but some further information about how they can split would be very helpful. In his statement he said that the new stock will enable the development of existing carriages for persons of reduced mobility. Can he give us more information on how precisely that will be enabled?

Yes, absolutely. I’ll check on exactly how the rolling stock can be configured. They are presented as five four-carriage trains, but my understanding is that they can be subdivided and lengthened or shortened as appropriate, but I will check on that and write to Members. In terms of how they can be used to then ensure that other rolling stock is compliant, well, essentially, they can replace—. Some rolling stock can be taken off-line and have works carried out to them to ensure that they are mobility compliant. Therefore, the additional rolling stock won’t just be there to serve the purpose of increasing capacity where capacity is currently stretched; they will also be used to supplement the rolling stock that is taken off-line for works to be carried out.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.