6. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport: Update on Welsh Government Requirements for Other Rail Franchises Serving Wales and Rail Infrastructure Investment

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:48 pm on 17 July 2018.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 5:48, 17 July 2018

Well, I think the important point here is that you've combined the franchise investment with the investment that is allocated for infrastructure. The figures that we have, which are very robust figures, are also supported by the data that I've highlighted from the Institute for Public Policy Research, which shows a huge, huge gap between per capita spending in London and per capita spending outside of London. I'd stress again: we are not alone in feeling very, very angry at the historic underfunding of rail infrastructure outside of the most urbanised area of the UK. I think this is something that politicians certainly on the left have recognised, and that's why we've had such support from metro mayors, for example, in Manchester and in Liverpool. I think it's about time that UK Government Ministers also accept the historic underfunding and the huge gap between the rest of the UK and the capital of the UK, and then got down to work to actually invest more in Wales and other parts of Britain.