I want to concentrate on particular benefits that come from our union with England and the two other nations that make up the United Kingdom, and therefore I'll give you an example of how we can benefit from that union.

The trans-European network, TEN, was created with the stated goals of the creation of an international market and the reinforcement of economic and social cohesion. It made little sense to talk of a big EU market, with freedom of movement within it for goods and services unless the various regions and national networks making up that market were properly linked by a modern and efficient infrastructure. The construction of a trans-European network was also seen as an important element for economic growth and the creation of employment. The treaty establishing the European community first provided a legal basis for the TENs under the terms, which was mentioned by Mark Reckless earlier, contained in the treaty, and articles 156. The European Union must aim to promote the development of trans-European networks as a key element for the creation of the internal market and the reinforcement of economic and social cohesion. This development includes the interconnection and the interoperability of national networks as well as access to such networks.

The economy in north Wales has suffered a lot in recent years, and one of the reasons for this is the ability of the A55 trunk road to handle the high volumes of traffic that pass along it, particularly in peak holiday periods. The A55 is part of the trans-European route, linking the port of Holyhead to Europe, and yet the European Union has not put sufficient funds into the development of that route, and it's been virtually left to the Wales Government and the UK Government to make sure that that is suitable for purpose. And this road has a major impact on the economic viability of the north Wales region, both with regard to business and tourism—