Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:17 pm on 28 November 2018.
We've heard, of course, about the scale of the decision to be taken: the single largest investment decision that this Government, or any Government since the dawn of devolution, has taken. But, of course, if that decision is made by the current First Minister, then it won't be him that'll be in a position to be held to account for it or to have to justify it and its wide-ranging consequences. Of course, it won't be the present First Minister who will be held accountable when the building starts and when the unique protected landscape of the Gwent levels is damaged, the ancient woodland, the nationally designated nature conservation sites. It won't be the present First Minister who will be held to account when future generations face the adverse effects resulting from the increased carbon emissions, making it, of course, more difficult for the Government to meet its own emission reduction targets. It won't be the present First Minister's capital budget that will be limited, or whose entire borrowing powers will have been used. It's not the present First Minister who will have to explain to communities in other parts of Wales, consequently, why they won't get the fair share of capital investment that they were hoping for. Now, all of that will fall, of course, on the next First Minister. And who knows? The next First Minister may well have different priorities. Instead of spending the £1.4 billion on 14 miles of tarmac, he or she may decide to use that money to realise phases 2 and 3 of the metro—