Context
Regional disparities in infrastructure funding, particularly regarding Wales's share compared to the UK as a whole. The question highlights specific underinvestment in railway enhancement in Wales.
Question
Wales has 5% of the population but it has had only 2% of the railway enhancement investment over decades, and it has the lowest household income. Given that HS2 will not pass through Wales, will the Minister and the Treasury look very carefully at providing a high-speed rail link between Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and beyond—over 3 million people live there—in line with the Burns review, to help the agenda for levelling up and connecting the Union, and to give us our fair share of rail investment based on need?
Answer from Jesse Norman
I thank the hon. Member for his question. Of course, he will be aware that the benefits of HS2 are not, by any means, just restricted to the cities that are on its route; it is a national project of significance. More widely, Wales has done very well in the last Budget, if I might remind him more generally, with accelerated funding for the Swansea bay, north Wales and mid-Wales city growth deals, money for the hydrogen hub and, of course, £30 million towards the global centre of rail excellence in Neath Port Talbot. What I would say, though, is that of course we do now have a UK infrastructure bank, which will be looking at issues of infrastructure across the country, including in the devolved Administrations.
Not addressed: The specific request for a high-speed rail link between Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and beyond was not addressed with a concrete commitment or timeline.
How: National Project Of Significance, Accelerated Funding For City Growth Deals, Money For Hydrogen Hub
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