Select committee: Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 14
First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales
Published 14 Jul 2021
Paragraph 105
Addressed to Wales Office
Welsh Affairs Committee Railway Infrastructure in Wales All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the changes announced in the 2021 Spending Review which will reform the process by which the Treasury evaluates infrastructure projects. It is imperative that the Treasury’s approach to evaluating rail infrastructure proposals takes account of a broader range of factors, such as regional economic inequalities and environmental benefits, than just benefit cost ratios. In light of the forthcoming publication of the Union Connectivity Review, we recommend that the evaluation process for rail infrastructure proposals in Wales factors in the UK Government’s strategic ambitions to strengthen connections between all parts of the UK.
From: Welsh Affairs Committee, First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales (HC 438), paragraph 105, 14 July 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 September 2021 (deadline 14 September 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government largely "notes" the Committee's recommendations, agreeing in part to some and in full to others, while not accepting that the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline hampers delivery.
- On a Wales Rail Board (Recommendations 8, 12 and 13), the government agrees in part and proposes a senior-level Board, with terms of reference "under discussion" and an initial meeting "at the earliest opportunity in the current calendar year".
- On electrification between Cardiff and Swansea (Recommendations 6 and 7), the government notes the recommendations. It says the 2017 cancellation was "due to significant increase in costs and poor value for money", and that future decisions will be guided by Network Rail's TDNS.
- On Union Connectivity Review recommendations, the government notes them. It expects the final report in Autumn 2021 and "will consider funding for Union connectivity schemes as part of the forthcoming Spending Review".
- On HS2 funding (Recommendation 15), the government notes the recommendation to reclassify HS2 as England-only. It says it spends on heavy rail in Wales rather than providing Barnett-based funding, consistent with the Statement of Funding Policy.