Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Selous Excerpts

Wednesday 20th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con)]

4. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on the Welsh economy of upgrading the M4 motorway.

[Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) (Con)]

6. What assessment he has made of the potential effect on Wales of upgrading the M4 motorway.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Mr David Jones)]

Upgrading the M4 is a key priority for the Government and for businesses in Wales. That is why we are enabling the Welsh Government to use their existing limited borrowing powers to begin work on upgrading the motorway as soon as possible.

[Mr Jones]

My hon. Friend is entirely right. That infrastructure improvement has long been called for, particularly by the CBI. An upgrade is grossly overdue. We have given the Welsh Assembly Government the borrowing powers that they need. We hope and expect that they will proceed with the upgrade as quickly as possible.

[Andrew Selous]

Is it the case that although funding to upgrade the M4 around Newport may not have been available in the past, the Government’s recent agreement to increase the borrowing powers of the Welsh Government means that the upgrade can now go ahead?

[Mr Jones]

Yes, indeed. The Welsh Government have already started the consultation process. I repeat that this is a massively important infrastructure improvement and we expect them to proceed with it as quickly as possible.