Wednesday Volume 635 31 January 2018 No. 89 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 31 January 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 801 31 JANUARY 2018 802 Sir David Amess: Every “Gavin and Stacey” fan House of Commons knows that the journey from Essex to Wales involves the most expensive toll bridge charges in the country, so Wednesday 31 January 2018 I am delighted that this Conservative Government have removed the burden of crossing the border for tourists, businesses and commuters generally. Will my right hon. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Friend tell the House how he intends to capitalise on that wonderful news? PRAYERS Alun Cairns: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for reminding us of that iconic “Gavin and Stacey” scene [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] where Smithy is struggling to get into Wales because he has to pay the £6.70 toll charge to cross the bridge. I would point out to my hon. Friend that tolls have been Oral Answers to Questions reduced by 20% in the interim, and by the end of the year they will be abolished. That will be one of the biggest stimuluses for the Welsh economy in decades. It will provide the opportunity for more and better-paid WALES jobs, and a £100 million boost to the Welsh economy. This is an opportunity for the south-west of England The Secretary of State was asked— and south Wales to come together as an economic powerhouse to provide better opportunities in the western Cross-border Economic Opportunities side of the UK. 2. Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con): Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab): My constituents What steps he is taking to support cross-border economic who work in Bristol and beyond have to put up with opportunities. [903562] chronically overcrowded rail services as fares increase. 9. Sir David Amess (Southend West) (Con): What Will the Secretary of State talk to UK Government steps he is taking to support cross-border economic Transport Ministers—rail services are not devolved—to sort this out? opportunities. [903570] The Secretary of State for Wales (Alun Cairns): Last Alun Cairns: The hon. Lady makes an important week, I hosted the first cross-border Severn growth point about public transport in general. The Great summit in Newport. More than 350 people attended the Western franchise is out for consultation as we speak, event, all looking to strengthen the economic links and I encourage her, her constituents and south Wales between south Wales and the south-west. Through our Members to make representations about the improvements industrial strategy, we want to build on this cross-border they would like. She talked about overcrowding, but one collaboration and help create prosperous communities of the most overcrowded roads in the UK is around the throughout the whole of Wales. Brynglas tunnels in Newport. I hope the Welsh Government get on with building that road sooner rather than later. Daniel Kawczynski: Shrewsbury, the county town of After all, the UK Government made money available Shropshire, relies very heavily on trade with our friends more than three years ago, and we are frustrated by the and neighbours across the border in Wales.What discussions lack of response and reaction in building it. has my right hon. Friend had with his counterparts in the Welsh Assembly about dualling the A5, which crosses Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) the border between England and Wales? Will he join me (PC): Since assuming office, the Secretary of State has in paying tribute to my neighbour, my right hon. Friend broken a promise to electrify the main line to Swansea; the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), who vetoed devolving airport taxes to Wales because he does has campaigned assiduously, but who has been very not want to upset Bristol airport; and not delivered on badly injured in a riding accident and is recuperating at the Swansea bay tidal lagoon. Is not the reality that his home? record on the economy is failure, failure, failure? Mr Speaker: We wish the right hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson) a full and speedy recovery, Alun Cairns: I am disappointed with the hon. but the fullness of the recovery is more important than Gentleman’s tone. I would point to significant wins for its speed. Wales over recent years, the most important of which is the fair funding settlement, which provided a 5% uplift—it Alun Cairns: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I pay tribute to will be a £67 million uplift in the next financial year and my hon. Friend and to my right hon. Friend the Member similar sums in subsequent years. Thirteen years of for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson). Both are assiduous underfunding by the Labour party have been corrected and relentless in their pursuit of the dualling of the A5. in the first year of a Conservative Administration. I would point them to the second road investment strategy for England. I liaise with the Welsh Government Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean) (Con): I am Minister Ken Skates regularly to pursue the issue, because grateful to the Secretary of State for inviting my district it works for much better co-operation if we bring together council and my tourism industry to his Severn growth investment priorities. My hon. Friend’s efforts are paying summit. I am also grateful that the tolls will be removed, significant dividends in the negotiations. given that the old Severn bridge is half in my constituency 803 Oral Answers 31 JANUARY 2018 Oral Answers 804 and the gateway to Gloucestershire, not just Wales. May 17-year-olds. They are now at risk because of the UK I urge him, as he continues these cross-border opportunities, Government’s dithering. Now that the Welsh Labour fully to involve business and industry in my constituency Government are introducing votes for 16 and 17-year-olds so that we can take full advantage of growth in the in local government elections in Wales, are the UK western part of our country? Government worried that Welsh young people will be able to vote on their future, vote for apprenticeships and Alun Cairns: I am grateful for my right hon. Friend’s vote for tidal lagoons? support for the call to abolish the Severn tolls, because that really will be a major boost to his constituency and Alun Cairns: Apprenticeships are part of the UK constituencies across the whole of south Wales. After Government’s manifesto, and we are grateful to the all, can he imagine a £6.70 charge to do any business Welsh Government and recognise that they have followed between Cardiff and Newport and the impact that that the ambition that we set out for apprenticeships. I also would have? Well, that is really what has been in place point out and pay tribute to the Welsh Government for between his constituency and the south Wales economy their action over changing the voting structures, but for more than 50 years.Abolishing the tolls is a commitment remind the hon. Lady about who gave them the power on which I am pleased to be able to deliver. to do that in the first place, after it was refused for 13 years by Labour. Christina Rees (Neath) (Lab/Co-op): I welcome the new Under-Secretary of State for Wales, the hon. Member David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con): Is the Minister for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew), to his place. They say the aware that the Welsh Affairs Committee has invited the first time is always the worst. I understand that he was First Minister of Wales to come before us and spell out born on Ynys Môn and that he was a member of the exactly what the offer is and that, so far, he has refused Labour party. We would like to welcome him back, but to do so? If there is a serious offer from Welsh Labour we might be full. to support tidal lagoons, does he agree that the Welsh First Minister should reconsider, come before the With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I would like to Committee and tell us exactly what it is that he is congratulate the Welsh Assembly: there was an offering us? announcement by Stonewall this morning that it is the No. 1 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employer Alun Cairns: I pay tribute to my hon. Friend as Chair in the UK. I will not mention that Swansea City beat of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs—a position Arsenal 3-1 last night. in which he has been vociferous in pursuing these sorts Manufacturers across the UK consider the world-leading of issues and the case for value for money. He has tidal lagoon industry a lifeline for their businesses. invited the First Minister to give evidence to his Committee. Thousands of skilled jobs in cross-border factories are I would have thought that the First Minister would earmarked to supply the lagoons, and they are at risk want to respond positively to that invitation, if he wants because the UK Government cannot make a decision. to be seen to be doing everything—and, indeed, to do The Secretary of State has said many times that he everything—to make this project come about and to would love it to happen. The Welsh Labour Government prove the value-for-money case that we seek. have pledged millions to the Swansea bay tidal lagoon.