4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport: Transport for Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:39 pm on 23 January 2018.

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Photo of Adam Price Adam Price Plaid Cymru 3:39, 23 January 2018

I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for his statement. In it, you said that the UK Government plans to lay an order to transfer rail franchising functions to Welsh Ministers shortly. Could you say a little bit about—how shortly is shortly? And the fallback that you refer to if those functions are not transferred—under which circumstances can you envisage that having to be utilised? Is it the circumstance in which you're not able to reach a final agreement on some of the issues that you refer to in your statement where work is ongoing, and, indeed, some of the further issues that were covered in the UK transport Secretary's letter to you in August? Could you shine a bit more light on how far away are you from reaching agreement?

You said you've reached an agreement on a way forward, which can mean a number of things, but specifically, has an agreement been reached with the UK Government as to who will be responsible for the section 30 operator of last resort? Have you reached an agreement on the quantum of funding that you referred to in your statement, around which there's been some disagreement with the UK Government, or the means by which that figure can be worked out? Have you reached agreement over a protocol of how the Welsh Government will exercise powers over English railway stations served by the franchise?

Finally, you mentioned the fact your aspiration is that Transport for Wales will be responsible for as much as possible of the public transport infrastructure as a public sector body. Could you say what specific representations the Welsh Government have made to amend the Railways Act 1993, which has been amended in the case of Scotland, giving them powers to have a public sector franchise operator, in effect? That hasn't happened in Wales. Have you made specific representations in that regard to the UK Government?