Can I thank the Minister for the statement? You say in your statement that your first task is to address the legacy of historic lack of investment in improving the railways in Wales. We wholeheartedly support you in your endeavours in this regard. Wales has always suffered from a lack of funding necessary to improve the rail infrastructure, so it is right that we should look be masters of our own destiny with regard to our entire rail infrastructure. We should be free to create a railway system fit for purpose in serving the people of Wales.

We, of course, cannot talk about the devolution settlement given to Wales without comparison with that given to Scotland, and the devolution of the rail network is no exception to this. It cannot be right that Scotland has been afforded complete control, together with the necessary funding, for its entire railway network, whilst Wales has to contend with such a piecemeal approach by the UK Government. Minister, you rightly point out that we cannot create the rail network envisaged in the regional metro and station improvement schemes, not to mention the strategic corridor developments, without the necessary competences and funding being fully devolved, and I’m confident that we can significantly improve on the hugely expensive Network Rail development costs. In other words, spend funding much more efficiently than that which currently exists. We’re already seeing the improvements that devolved powers can afford with the improvements under the new borders franchise, and I’m confident that we shall see the same improvements on the core Valleys lines under the development programme outlined by the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales.

Is it therefore fair that other parts of the Wales rail network should lag behind because the Welsh Government lacks the competences and funding to make the necessary improvements? We in the Brexit Party recognise that rail infrastructure is critical of the development of the Welsh economy, and we shall support you fully in your endeavours to have the rail network and its components fully devolved to Wales with, of course, all the necessary funding needed to achieve Wales's railway ambitions.