, Plenary
Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee Report, 'Digging the dirt: Improving Wales’ soil health'
I welcome the report and the work of the committee. Thank you, Chair. Healthy soil is not just dirt beneath our feet, it's a living ecosystem. It regulates water flows, sustains plant and animal life, sequesters carbon and filters pollutants. When soil is…
, Plenary
Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report, 'Routes into post-16 education and training'
I'd just like to start by paying tribute to our friend and colleague Hefin David, and his report, ‘Transitions to employment’. I’d also like to thank the Chair, Members, the committee team, the organisations, parents, guardians and young people who gave…
, Plenary
Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I'd like to thank Delyth Jewell for raising this question. I hosted an event in the Senedd with Michael Sheen last week, which looked at the issue of contaminated land. It will feature in a two-part documentary called Buried. I also attended a Friends of the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language
On Monday evening I had the pleasure of meeting with Prestatyn business owners who are the backbone of our local communities and economy. It was an important opportunity to listen to their experiences, understand the pressures they are facing, and discuss the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Can you update us on the delivery of the north Wales metro? We've heard about the core Valleys lines. We want to see investment in north Wales as well. What level of investment is flowing into that scheme, and can you outline key dates for delivery?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
That makes sense.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Yes, okay—it was asset transfer and fleet ownership. So, in Manchester, everything was transferred. But do you think that there will be a hybrid approach, so that some of the assets can remain with the local SMEs, maybe?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
The other one was—
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Will you have a unit to assist them, going forward?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
That's reassuring, because we want to manage people's expectations with this as well. And it feels like you considering that going forward, which is really important, and that accountability, because very often we get a lot of book passing as well. So, people…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Thank you. My second question was about funding. I feel a little bit reassured that you're hoping to do it in the existing budget. During the budget scrutiny, the Cabinet Secretary said perhaps the greatest threat to bus services is having enough money. I…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
I'm going to ask a question.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Okay. Thank you, Chair. I'm going to talk about bus reform and franchise readiness, if that's okay. Does Transport for Wales now have the capacity to deliver the bus franchising? What steps have you taken to increase your organisational capacity, and what…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
So, that could be a recommendation, couldn't it?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
So, earlier, you talked about the existing relationship between Network Rail in Wales and Transport for Wales—a good relationship. We are looking at GBR Wales as well as a body, or a part of GBR. So, is there no reason why Network Rail Wales could not become…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
Can I ask a question?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
[Inaudible.]—civil servants as well. If you have had a change of Government and you feel that there has been no difference—. It's a civil servant issue as well. Sorry, Julie.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
There are two elements there, really. We do have cross-border rail. Is that why it's England and Wales, because we have so much cross-border? That's the first one. Can you really separate it? But then, if we need to separate it, and look at the historic lack…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
In 2018, you championed Northern Powerhouse Rail projects as crucial for north Wales and that it should be classed as a Wales and England project. We have a lot of cross-border rail, don't we? Llandudno to Manchester, Liverpool to Wrexham. So, we have to work…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
[Inaudible.]—the funding has been allocated, this time under UK Government, to actually progress schemes, and also funding for the future as well, so that is a step forward.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
Can I just have one more—?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
Okay. You talked about financial liability, but you mentioned also political and civil service liability and lack of understanding. We've got a Senedd election coming up. Are you talking to different parties as well, looking to the future, to make sure that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
We've got quite a lot in north Wales that was put forward for the levelling-up funding, which was rejected.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
Very often, when we have the argument in the Chamber about how much Wales is getting—. There was an announcement of £445 million for rail infrastructure, but that was based on what's ready to be spent now, because a lot of—. It takes a long while to work up…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
UK Government rail policy and rail reform - evidence session with Professor Mark Barry
Our rail network across the UK has been seriously underfunded for many years—going back to the Victorian era, probably; different Governments maybe have funded it, then different ones haven't. There were concerns about the financial liability, going back to…
