Public Services in Blaenau Gwent

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 30 November 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:28, 30 November 2021

Well, Llywydd, I thank Alun Davies for that. I was very pleased to see the full Hendy review, Llywydd. I was pleased to see the way that it endorsed the Welsh approach to improving transport across Wales, that it should be multi-modal, that it should involve working with partners, and of course Alun Davies is right: the Hendy review does endorse the recommendations of the Burns review in south Wales, as well as calling for electrification of the railway line in north Wales as well. I do hope that we will now see the United Kingdom Government implementing the recommendations of its own review. Too often in Wales, we have seen reviews by the Conservative Government not followed through, as in the case of the Swansea bay tidal lagoon, to cite just one example.

Where the railway is already in the hands of the Senedd, Llywydd, we have made major investments—transformative investments—that will make a real difference in Blaenau Gwent and in other communities in Wales. If we had more powers, provided—provided—we had the investment needed to go alongside them, then I am sure that, as Sir Peter Hendy said, devolution has been good for transport policy making, and it would be even better if we had the scope that the Member referred to in order to do even more, to make sure that services to his community and others would be made in decisions close to people who understand those communities and know what they need for the future.