Investing in Britain’s Future

Glyn Davies Excerpts

Thursday 27th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Danny Alexander]

If investing in schools and houses was so important to the previous Government, why did they preside over a fall in affordable housing stock of 420,000 and cancel the survey to evaluate the maintenance needs of our country’s schools? It is also about getting the best value for taxpayers’ money, which, frankly, Building Schools for the Future was failing to do in a big way.

[Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con)]

I greatly welcome the Chief Secretary’s announcement of investment in road infrastructure. I particularly welcome the reference to M4 improvement in the Chancellor’s statement yesterday. However, the mid-Wales economy depends on other improvements on the Welsh-English border at Llanymynech. The cost-benefit on the Welsh side is huge, but on the English side it is very weak. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that mid-Wales does not lose out on transport infrastructure improvement because of the way in which devolution works?

[Danny Alexander]

Many of these matters are devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government, and so it is for them to take them forward. I have regular and friendly discussions with the Finance Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government, and I will draw my hon. Friend’s concerns to her attention in my next conversation.