Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance – in the Senedd at 1:49 pm on 24 January 2018.
Thank you, finance Secretary. I'm getting increasingly concerned, because once again today there appears to be a distinct lack of figures. It wasn't that long ago that the Welsh Government told the Assembly that the cost would be less than £1 billion. I think a guarantee of some form was issued to us, whether it was that word or not, back then. But it now seems that this was grossly underestimated. Now, if you look at examples of other large road schemes in Wales, such as the A465 Heads of the Valleys widening—and, again, policy issue aside on that—that has been subject to many delays and is currently costing an estimated 25 per cent over the original budget. So, you can understand the public's concern about these kinds of projects. The M4 black route will, if chosen, run through sites of special scientific interest and across wetland, making it more complex than many other road schemes would be. Do you not think that, aside from the public inquiry, it's time for a full review of the potential costs of this project to ensure value for money for the taxpayer?