Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Rail Funding in Wales

Thursday 24 November 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government are investing up to 2 billion in the rail network in Wales over the current five-year control period.
  • There are no direct Barnett consequentials from HS2 to Wales, but indirect benefits exist.
  • The Minister will come by train to meet Virginia Crosbie on Ynys Mn.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Geraint Davies Lab
Transport Wales
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of rail investment in Wales compared to other regions.

Question

Whether he has plans to increase rail funding in Wales. The Minister will know that HS2 will reduce travel times from London to Manchester but the travel time to Swansea remains at about three hours. How is it that Scotland gets additional £8 billion in Barnett consequentials but Wales does not get its fair share of £5 billion for levelling up?

Answer from Huw Merriman

This Government are investing through Network Rail up to £2 billion in the rail network in Wales over the current five-year control period. There are no direct Barnett consequentials from HS2 to Wales, but there are indirect benefits I can explain when we meet. The Office of Rail and Road reports that Government funding for the operational railway was £1.27 per passenger kilometre in England and £2.39 in Wales and Scotland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask to allocate £5 billion or discuss a fair share was not directly addressed.

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Q2 Geraint Davies Lab
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about the disparity in rail investment between Scotland, which gets Barnett consequentials from HS2, and Wales.

Question

How will the Minister look at improving rail journey times to Swansea given that travel times are not reducing as much for Wales compared to other regions? Will he meet me to discuss a fair share of £5 billion in funding?

Answer from Huw Merriman

The hon. Member is right that there are no direct Barnett consequentials from HS2 to Wales, but there are indirect benefits I can explain when we meet. Government funding for the operational railway was £1.27 per passenger kilometre in England and £2.39 in Wales and Scotland.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about allocating £5 billion or discussing a fair share was not directly addressed.

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Q3 Virginia Crosbie
Transport
Context

The MP is concerned about improving transport connectivity in her region as part of the levelling up agenda.

Question

How will the Minister use RNEP to improve journey times in north Wales? Will the scope be extended to include rail links to HS2 and the northern powerhouse; when visiting Ynys Môn, will he come by train?

Answer from Huw Merriman

I will certainly come by train to meet my hon. Friend who is a true champion for transport in Ynys Môn. She has secured a Backbench Business debate on the west coast main line scheduled for 15 December, and I expect to have the business case for the project on my desk next year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about expanding RNEP scope was not directly addressed.

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