Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the total cost of the electrification of the remainder of the South Wales mainline.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No recent cost estimates have been made by Network Rail for electrification of the South Wales Mainline, with the last available information dating from 2017. With bi-mode trains offering comparable journey times regardless of whether operating in diesel or electric mode, it is expected that any business case for electrification of this route would be very weak.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the total cost of the electrification of the North Wales mainline.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government has not made any recent estimate of the cost of electrification of the North Wales Mainline. It is more than ten years since Network Rail were last asked to consider the electrification of this line. That work would need to be fully refreshed, taking account of current electrification technologies.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reflect the findings of the Water Commission.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will recommend reforms to reset the water sector regulatory system and is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. It is considering a wide range of areas, as set out in the Commission’s Call for Evidence.
The Commission will report later in summer 2025 with recommendations to the UK and Welsh Governments to help restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health, meet the challenges of the future and contribute to economic growth.
These recommendations are expected to form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) number of (i) Carer’s Allowance and (ii) carer element recipients who will lose their eligibility in Wales by the 2029-30 financial year and (b) the cost to the public purse of these changes; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of eligibility changes on carers in poverty.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility of the impact of the proposed changes on carers was only made for England and Wales as a whole.
The impacts can be found in table A4 here: Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether steel imports from India will be covered by UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism exemptions under the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Steel is a top priority for this Government. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) does not include any text related to the implementation of the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The FTA includes liberalised Most Favoured Nation tariffs on steel, but the UK’s trade remedies, including a global safeguard measure on certain steel products, continue to apply. Also, as part of our agreement, we included a ‘bilateral safeguard mechanism’ which allows us to temporarily increase tariffs or suspend tariff concessions if an industry is suffering or is at threat of serious injury as a result of reduced duties.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the UK-India Free Trade Agreement includes tariff exemptions on steel imported from India.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Steel is a top priority for this Government. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) does not include any text related to the implementation of the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The FTA includes liberalised Most Favoured Nation tariffs on steel, but the UK’s trade remedies, including a global safeguard measure on certain steel products, continue to apply. Also, as part of our agreement, we included a ‘bilateral safeguard mechanism’ which allows us to temporarily increase tariffs or suspend tariff concessions if an industry is suffering or is at threat of serious injury as a result of reduced duties.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the UK-India Free Trade Agreement includes tariffs on steel imported from India.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Steel is a top priority for this Government. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) does not include any text related to the implementation of the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
The FTA includes liberalised Most Favoured Nation tariffs on steel, but the UK’s trade remedies, including a global safeguard measure on certain steel products, continue to apply. Also, as part of our agreement, we included a ‘bilateral safeguard mechanism’ which allows us to temporarily increase tariffs or suspend tariff concessions if an industry is suffering or is at threat of serious injury as a result of reduced duties.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing the assets Tata Steel in Port Talbot into public ownership.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tata Steel decided to close the blast furnaces at Port Talbot in January 2024, under the previous government.
However, we negotiated an improved deal with Tata regarding the transformation of Port Talbot after just 10 weeks in office, with better terms for workers, future investment opportunities for the area and the highest voluntary redundancy package Tata has ever offered for workers. Work is proceeding on the development of the Electric Arc Furnace which will enable steelmaking to continue at the site and form a key part of our future steel sector.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of the blast furnaces at the Tata Steel site on the economy in Neath Port Talbot.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are aware of the impact of this transition on the local economy and community, and we have taken steps to assist and support those affected. Under the leadership of the Secretary of State for Wales, the Port Talbot Tata Steel Transition Board moved from discussion to delivery from last July. Since then, more than £50 million has been announced to support steel communities, from the £80 million available from UK Government. The latest release of funding, to support mental health, was announced just last month.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the East West Rail will be designated as an England and Wales project.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
East West Rail is set to cover the route from Oxford to Cambridge and is therefore part of the RNEP portfolio which covers funding for projects in England and Wales. The RNEP portfolio can be distributed to any scheme across England and Wales.