Oral Answers to Questions

Geraint Davies Excerpts

Tuesday 9th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Steve Barclay]

I join the hon. Lady in recognising the huge contribution that charities have made. In respect of specific tax measures, obviously they were dealt with by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor in the Budget last week, but I remind the hon. Lady of the £750 million of dedicated funding that has been provided to date in recognition of that important work.

[Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op)]

What assessment he has made of the regional equity of infrastructure investment (a) in Wales and (b) throughout the UK.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Jesse Norman)]

Once in every Parliament, the National Infrastructure Commission publishes a national infrastructure assessment. The first assessment was launched in July 2018, and the commission operates UK-wide.

[Geraint Davies [V]]

Wales has 5% of the population but it has had only 2% of the railway enhancement investment over decades, and it has the lowest household income. Given that HS2 will not pass through Wales, will the Minister and the Treasury look very carefully at providing a high-speed rail link between Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and beyond—over 3 million people live there—in line with the Burns review, to help the agenda for levelling up and connecting the Union, and to give us our fair share of rail investment based on need?