I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) and the hon. Member for Ceredigion Preseli (Ben Lake) for proposing today’s debate, the Backbench Business Committee for granting it, and everyone who has taken part in it. In preparation for closing the debate today, I reflected on last year’s Welsh… affairs debate. Still then less than a year into the new Labour Government, I updated the House on some of my priorities for Wales, but also those across the Government. I spoke of our plans to end Tory austerity, with investment in Welsh public services and infrastructure; to seize the golden opportunity of Wales’s new green industrial revolution in floating offshore wind and new nuclear; to rectify historic under-investment in Welsh rail; to deliver an industrial strategy with key Welsh sectors at its core; and to do whatever it takes to protect Welsh steelworkers and build a strong future for Welsh steel. It is fair to say it has been a very busy year. The UK Government and the Welsh Labour Government have worked together to deliver huge change on every one of those priorities and more. Take, for example, this Government’s announcements in the past week alone. On Tuesday, we launched a new £11 million fund to help businesses affected by the steel transition at Port Talbot, to create new jobs and attract investment. Some £122 million has now been allocated by the transition board. I promised that the Government would do whatever it took to protect Welsh steelworkers and we will always keep that promise. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, the Transport Secretary and I were at Transport for Wales’s headquarters, with the First Minister and the Welsh Transport Minister, Ken Skates, to announce a generational commitment by the UK Government to deliver our long-term plan for Welsh rail as quickly as possible, building on the nearly £445 million announced last year. After years of under-investment by previous Conservative Governments, this is a plan t
Hansard · 26 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
I beg to move, That this House has considered St David’s Day and Welsh affairs. It is a real privilege to open this debate as we come together to mark St David’s day and discuss Wales’s past, present and, critically, its future. I may not use my full 15 minutes to speak, because other colleagues will want to speak in t…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate; she is right to praise St David’s day, and everyone is here for that purpose. While we can be Welsh, Northern Irish, Scottish or English, what brings us together is this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and our Gaelic cousins in Wales, Scotland…
RJ
Ruth Jones
The hon. Member is quite right; we are always better together. As a Gaelic colleague, I welcome him to this debate today and I look forward to his contributions later on. St David was known for his austere lifestyle, surviving on a vegetarian diet of mostly leeks and water. I am not necessarily advocating that today fo…
BL
Ben Lake
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. I begin by thanking the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) for opening the debate, and indeed for her work as the chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee. As she mentioned in her speech, we work as a team for Wales on the Committee, and it is good that we have this opportuni…
CF
Catherine Fookes
Does the hon. Member not agree that we have the green shoots of recovery already in the economy? We have interest rates going down and retail sales up. The recent massive £14 billion investment in rail will help every single small business and every single person across Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
No, I am going to carry on, because I do not have much time left. Just before Christmas, we announced one of the biggest public investments in Welsh history: the siting of the UK’s first fleet of small modular nuclear reactors at Wylfa, creating 3,000 direct jobs and thousands more in the supply chain. After a decade o…
Clean Energy Projects21 Jan 2026
JS
Jo Stevens
Wales is leading the UK’s clean energy mission and secured two major projects in the UK Government’s contracts for difference scheme last week: Erebus, which is Wales’s first floating offshore wind project in the Celtic sea, and Awel y Môr offshore wind farm, off the coast of north Wales. It is the most successful auction… round in European history, and a huge vote of confidence in Wales’s clean energy sector, which will deliver thousands of good jobs.
Hansard · 21 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
PM
Perran Moon
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
BE
Bill Esterson
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
SR
Steve Race
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
PM
Perran Moon
Meur ras ha myttin da. I was delighted to see the Erebus project in the Celtic sea secure a contract for difference in the highly successful auction round. It is fantastic news for the floating offshore wind sector—the new frontier in renewable energy generation—and for local supply chains. Does the Secretary of State …
BE
Bill Esterson
The Secretary of State quite rightly mentioned the jobs and growth that will result from the projects at Awel y Môr and Erebus in the Celtic sea, but the price in auction round 7 was 40% lower than the equivalent for new gas-fired power stations, and Putin’s latest remarks have reminded us of the volatility of the gas …
JS
Jo Stevens
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that investment in our offshore wind sector is integral to realising our potential as a clean energy superpower, and to creating thousands of high-skilled jobs in Wales and among our Celtic cousins in Cornwall. That is why last week’s auction round was such an historic moment, and w…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This was the most successful auction round in European history, as I have mentioned. Awel y Môr is the first offshore wind project in Wales to win a contract in over a decade, and Erebus will be Wales’s first floating offshore wind farm. These projects will power almost 1 million hom…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Celtic sea is at the frontier of our green energy revolution. The capacity for offshore wind will support over 5,000 new jobs and bring billions of pounds of investment. Erebus is a test and demonstration project and will kick-start the early development of FLOW in Wales, ahead of larger projects being advanced thr…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this issue, particularly as it is Nuclear Week this week. We have announced the new fleet of small modular reactors at Wylfa, which are expected to support 3,000 jobs at peak construction and to power up to 3 million homes, with the capacity for further fleets in the future. I am …
JS
Jo Stevens
I would be very happy to have a conversation with the hon. Gentleman about that. We are investing in our green industries because that is how we will bring down bills for everybody, secure our energy supplies for everybody, and create jobs and improve living standards for everybody.
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Member obviously does not want energy bills to come down, does not want jobs in mid-Wales and does not want the investment to happen. Labour is the only party committed to our renewable energy revolution. Plaid, the Greens and the Lib Dems all try to block renewable infrastructure, while the SNP rejects the jo…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the hon. Member for his question, but can I suggest that he raises that with Defence Ministers? If he would like to contact me afterwards, I am happy to raise that with the Secretary of State for Defence.
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the right hon. Lady for raising the matter, and I really do feel for people who have found themselves in this situation, including her constituents, through absolutely no fault of their own. She will know that we inherited this scheme from the Conservative Government, and both ECO and the Great British insulati…
JS
Jo Stevens
I simply say what I have already said to the right hon. Lady, which is that we inherited these schemes; they had well-documented problems, and that is why we have taken decisive action to end them. She will have seen our announcement today on the warm homes plan and the £15 billion fund to help people across the countr…
Railways: Funding21 Jan 2026
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Jo Stevens
I hold a range of discussions with Ministers in the Welsh Government, including about our crucial investment in the Welsh rail network. We are investing at least £445 million in Welsh rail to right years of underfunding by previous Tory Governments. That will mean new stations, and more and faster trains on the key lines… in north and south Wales and into England to improve cross-border connectivity, create jobs and boost economic growth.
Hansard · 21 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
AD
Ann Davies
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on funding for railways.
AD
Ann Davies
Diolch yn fawr, Mr Llefarydd. The Treasury has confirmed that Northern Powerhouse Rail will again be classified as an England and Wales project, again depriving Wales of £1 billion in funding. Instead, we are being asked to celebrate £445 million being spent over 10 years in east Wales. This decision means no electrifi…
AR
Andrew Ranger
Last year, the Welsh Labour Government introduced a £1 bus fare cap for young people. Since then, these reduced fares have been used on 2 million journeys. Earlier this month, Welsh Labour announced in my constituency that after the Senedd election in May, we will build on that success with a £2 bus fare for all fares …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
Following a freedom of information request, several questions at the Dispatch Box and my pre-Christmas letter to the Secretary of State, a serious explanation of railway funding in Wales is still lacking. Previously, she said in the Chamber: “We are investing…to right the years of underfunding”—[Official Report, 16 Jul…
JS
Jo Stevens
Heavy rail projects in both countries are classified as England and Wales whether the track is in Wales, England or both. They do not attract Barnett consequentials because heavy rail is reserved. Examples of such projects include Padeswood in north Wales and the regeneration of Cardiff Central station. Surely the hon.…
JS
Jo Stevens
The introduction of the £1 bus fare cap for young people, and now a £2 cap on all fares from the Welsh Labour Government, has been great news; it will help everyone with the cost of living. The 100 new bus routes right across Wales, which will be introduced if Welsh Labour are re-elected in May, will further help peopl…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Member will know very well from my reply to her letter that her assertion is fundamentally wrong, because she is using a combination of operations, maintenance, renewals and enhancement funding to reach the total figure provided under Conservative Governments. The Labour Government have announced nearly £500 m…
Cost of Living: Wales21 Jan 2026
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Jo Stevens
The Government are absolutely determined to lower the cost of living for families across Wales and the whole UK. That is why we are benefiting 69,000 children in Wales by scrapping the two-child limit. It is why we are slashing household energy bills by an average of £150 a year, and why we are again… increasing the national minimum and living wage, building on the previous increase, which boosted the incomes of up to 160,000 workers in Wales.
Hansard · 21 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
RT
Rachel Taylor
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of living in Wales.
NG
Nia Griffith
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of living in Wales.
RT
Rachel Taylor
The latest interest rate cut—the sixth since Labour formed this Government—is great news for mortgage holders in Wales, North Warwickshire and Bedworth and across the UK, bringing down the cost of family mortgages by almost £1,400 a year. Will the Secretary of State update the House on how this Government’s policies ar…
NG
Nia Griffith
The cost of living is still a major concern for my constituents in Llanelli, so I very much welcome the decision by this Labour Government to give households £150 to help with their domestic energy bills, but can the Secretary of State explain exactly who is eligible and when and how they will receive the money?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right; this Government are supporting people across Wales and the UK with the cost of living. In comparison with when we came into government, households that take out a new mortgage are saving around £1,400 a year on their mortgage repayments. We have also increased the state pension by 4.…
JS
Jo Stevens
Energy bills are a significant issue for people across the country. That is why, thanks to this Labour Government, from April this year all households will see an average £150 reduction in costs on their energy bills. Energy suppliers will pass on the savings automatically to households. My hon. Friend will have seen t…
JS
Jo Stevens
Wages are up, and inward investment is up. Inactivity is down on the year, and unemployment is down on the year. We have also had six cuts in interest rates, meaning that families taking out a new mortgage are £1,400 a year better off than they were under the Tories.
2025 Budget3 Dec 2025
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Jo Stevens
I work closely with the Welsh Government on our shared priorities, and our two Labour Governments work together for the people of Wales. This Budget delivered for Wales by investing in public services, cutting the cost of living and shrinking the national debt. We have scrapped the Tory and Lib Dem two-child limit, benefiting 69,000… children in Wales, and slashed energy bills by £150 per household. We have also announced further increases to the minimum and living wage, building on last year’s increases, which have already helped 160,000 of the lowest-paid workers in Wales.
Hansard · 3 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
KB
Kirsty Blackman
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the Budget 2025 on Wales.
KB
Kirsty Blackman
The autumn Budget made minor tweaks to Wales’s borrowing limits. Scotland has stronger borrowing powers, allowing us more flexibility for investment in capital projects. Can the Secretary of State tell us why the tweaks to Wales’s powers were so small? Why have those tweaks not even made up for the inflationary losses …
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee.
RJ
Ruth Jones
The Welsh compound semiconductor cluster in my constituency is a real Welsh success story in terms of this year’s Budget. It has attracted more than £1 billion-worth of investment over the last decade and has supported almost 3,000 jobs, and plans to create 1,000 more jobs are well on the way. What conversations is the…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
We all know why the Chancellor went to Wales on Monday: she was seeking to avoid scrutiny over a self-inflicted controversy, but it does not end there. There has been criticism of the Chancellor’s claim that additional funding for Scotland was given “because Anas Sarwar asked us to.”—[Official Report, 26 November 2025 …
JS
Jo Stevens
The UK Government are providing the Welsh Government with nearly £6 billion in additional spending power over the spending review period as a result of changes to the fiscal framework, additional funding through the Barnett formula and the largest settlement in devolution history. We are righting the injustice of how W…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend rightly championed the Welsh compound semiconductor cluster from the minute she arrived in this place, and I have seen its success for myself on a number of visits. In last week’s Budget, the Chancellor announced £10 million for semiconductor activities in south Wales. That funding will focus on the tech…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am surprised at the right hon. Lady’s tone. While this Labour Government make record investment in Wales, Plaid Cymru’s response is to be the same old stuck record, with its miserable grievance politics. It really is the Victor Meldrew of Welsh politics. It still has not explained which taxes it would raise and which…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Government have absolutely nothing to hide.
Economic Growth3 Dec 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Growth is the No. 1 mission of this Government. We are creating tens of thousands of jobs in every corner of Wales, including through billions of pounds of investment in nuclear power in Anglesey, two AI growth zones, a defence growth deal, two freeports and two investment zones, which will deliver further economic growth to… Wales.
Hansard · 3 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
GS
Gareth Snell
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
PW
Paul Waugh
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
CV
Christopher Vince
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
FM
Frank McNally
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
GS
Gareth Snell
Because of decisions made by the UK Labour Government, the minimum wage and the living wage will increase, boosting wages for thousands of workers across this country, including 160,000 people in Wales. Could the Secretary of State set out what impact she thinks this critical announcement will have on the economy and p…
JS
Jo Stevens
From April, a full-time worker on the national living wage will see their annual pay rise by £900, on top of the £1,400 increase that we announced in the previous Budget, and 18 to 20-year-olds working full time on the national minimum wage will get an annual increase of £1,500, which, when added to last year’s increas…
JS
Jo Stevens
The introduction of the Pride in Place programme has meant good news for Rochdale, as well as for Wales. A total of 14 communities across Wales are each benefiting from £20 million of long-term investment to enable the changes that they want to see in their neighbourhoods. This hyper-local programme will benefit areas …
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This Labour Government have backed Welsh business and economic growth since day one, and the results speak for themselves; new nuclear at Wylfa and the two new AI growth zones will mean well over 11,500 new jobs. Add to that the best inward investment results for years, a 30% increas…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the ideology of the nationalists. Nationalists in Scotland turn their back on nuclear jobs for Scots, while nationalists in Wales are desperately trying to hide the cavernous split in their party on whether they support new nuclear. This Labour Government are absolutely clear…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Lady will know that the Welsh Government have put extra money into farming this year through their Budget. Her party in the Senedd voted against that Budget. We are renegotiating the sanitary and phytosanitary standards deal with the EU, following our deal in May, and we are protecting farmers and food manufac…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Gentleman eloquently sets out the case for the Union. The nationalists sat in front of him would break this country apart, ruining economic growth in this country. We are definitely all better together.
JS
Jo Stevens
Britain outperformed growth forecasts this year. Growth was upgraded from 1% to 1.5%, and we are on course to achieve the second-fastest growth rate among G7 countries. The Bank of England has cut interest rates five times since the election. The positive impact that our UK and Welsh Labour Governments are having is cl…
JS
Jo Stevens
There was a smörgåsbord of questions there. I just say to the shadow Secretary of State that her party wrecked the economy, starved our public services and exacerbated the cost of living crisis. Our Labour Budget is reducing the cost of living, investing in public services and shrinking the national debt—the Conservati…
JS
Jo Stevens
At every session of Wales questions, the hon. Gentleman talks about how he does not want infrastructure to be built in Wales. His party was one of the architects of austerity and the crushing poverty faced by so many people across the United Kingdom. This Labour Government have turned the page on that austerity legacy,…
Job Creation: Wales3 Dec 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Announcements made over the past month demonstrate that our industrial strategy is working. In November alone, the Government announced investments to create more than 11,000 jobs in Wales, and just this week, the Wales investment summit showcased investments totalling £16 billion, which are expected to bring tens of thousands of jobs to Wales.
Hansard · 3 Dec 2025 · parliament.uk
SW
Steve Witherden
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help create new jobs in Wales.
SW
Steve Witherden
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr is home to the largest one-day livestock market in Europe, just off the Buttington roundabout in Welshpool. Will my right hon. Friend join me in welcoming the 55 jobs that have been created on the roundabout in the last month alone, and would she consider joining me for a milkshake in one of…
JS
Jamie Stone
We have heard about the benefits that small modular reactors can bring to Wales and, indeed, to England. Does the Secretary of State agree that it would be a very good idea if she and I invited Mr John Swinney to come to Dounreay to hear from the workforce how badly they want one up there?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
The Office for National Statistics has revealed that a scandalous 1,000 jobs are being lost every single day across the country, meaning that Aston Martin is not immune to this Government’s economic recklessness and could soon be forced to make over 100 job losses because of the poor trade deal that Labour struck with …
JS
Jo Stevens
I am very pleased to hear about the new jobs created at Buttington Cross, and I should be delighted to join my hon. Friend for a milkshake—strawberry, please. Our landmark May deal with the European Union included a commitment to a comprehensive sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, which we are now actively negotiatin…
JS
Jo Stevens
I absolutely do not understand why the SNP Government are not willing to see the creation of jobs and opportunities for people in Scotland because of their ideology around new nuclear.
JS
Jo Stevens
I have been in discussions with Aston Martin, as have Cabinet colleagues. We are doing everything we can to protect the car industry in this country. One of the biggest problems in the car industry arises from the Conservatives’ botched Brexit deal, for which the hon. Lady and her Government were responsible.
Economic Growth29 Oct 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Economic growth is the No. 1 priority for this Government. The UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 in the first half of this year. Wages are up, inward investment is up, inactivity is down on the year and interest rates are down. This Labour Government are delivering for working people all across… Wales and the United Kingdom.
Hansard · 29 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
AH
Alison Hume
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
RB
Rachel Blake
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
AH
Alison Hume
It is brilliant that last month a total of £214 million was invested in communities across Wales as part of the Government’s pride in place scheme. In my patch, I was delighted that earlier this year Scarborough was awarded £20 million through the plan for neighbourhoods. These initiatives will give local people the po…
RB
Rachel Blake
As the MP for the centre of London, including Paddington station, I know how interconnected our countries and our economies are. In stark contrast to the nationalist parties of Reform and Plaid Cymru, the Labour Government are focused on job creation. Will the Secretary of State update us on the impact of Plaid Cymru’s…
GS
Graham Stuart
It is not just farmers but lots of other family businesses who are terrified for their future. Under the business property relief, a company worth £20 million would have to pay £4 million in tax, yet that responsibility falls not on the business but the person who inherits it, so they will have to extract another £4 mi…
JS
Jo Stevens
Through the pride in place initiative, we are putting power and resources directly into the hands of local communities, from Conwy to Carmarthenshire, giving them the ability to decide the priorities that matter most and the funding to pay for visible and lasting change. In Wales, 14 communities will benefit from £20 m…
JS
Jo Stevens
Plaid Cymru’s disastrous plans for independence will cost Wales £21.5 billion every year— over £11,000 for every working-age person in Wales or over £7,000 for every adult and child in Wales, every single year. The people of Wales deserve to know what public services Plaid Cymru will cut or what taxes it would raise to…
JS
Jo Stevens
It is certainly not. The right hon. Gentleman will have heard of tax planning, and so will the people he has been talking about. Investment is up in Wales and we have had record inward investment in Wales, with a 23% increase on the previous financial year and a 30% increase in jobs created. The UK was the fastest grow…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am very glad that the hon. Lady knows the name of the Welsh Conservative leader in the Senedd, because clearly her colleague the shadow Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp) , does not. They must have ended their fight about who is the actual leader. We are delivering for the people of…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the right hon. Lady for her words about our late colleague Hefin David. I congratulate Lindsay Whittle on his victory and on becoming a Senedd Member; I am sure that he will work very hard for his Caerphilly constituency for the next six months. As she will know, I am not going to comment on discussions between…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am very happy to meet with the right hon. Lady.
Cost of Living29 Oct 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I have regular discussions with the Chancellor and Treasury Ministers on a wide range of issues, including the cost of living. This Labour Government are on the side of working people. That is why we have already taken action by increasing the national minimum wage and the national living wage for 160,000 workers across Wales.… We have frozen fuel duty and extended the warm home discount. There is more to do, and we are determined to put more money into people’s pockets right across Wales.
Hansard · 29 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
DD
Dave Doogan
What recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on reducing the cost of living in Wales.
DD
Dave Doogan
A century of Labour taking the people of Wales for granted came crashing down last week with the sensational victory of Plaid’s Lindsay Whittle in Caerphilly, with Labour reduced to third place. Why would anybody accept any more Labour, as Labour’s cost of living soars, its Westminster perma-crisis deepens, and 700,000…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
RJ
Ruth Jones
I welcome last month’s news that Newport city council and Caerphilly county borough council will each receive £21.5 million from the UK Labour Government’s Pride in Place scheme. That funding will empower communities across my constituency to invest in community assets and their local high streets, drive local growth a…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am not sure whether the hon. Member has ever been to Caerphilly or even to Wales. If he has, that is good; if he has not, he needs to be careful about what he says about the people in Wales. He absolutely does not know what he is talking about. His party’s record in Scotland is nothing to boast about. Nationalists wi…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend, the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, is absolutely right. Our pride in place programmes, the local growth fund, the city and growth deals, the investment zones and our freeports are all the result of having two Labour Governments working together for the benefit of everyone across Wales. Tak…
Energy Infrastructure: Pylons29 Oct 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Overhead lines are much cheaper to build; according to the Institution of Engineering and Technology, undergrounding costs an estimated four and a half times more than overhead lines. Overhead lines are also quicker to build, cause less environmental damage, and are much easier to maintain. The cost of building this infrastructure is borne by electricity… bill payers, and Plaid’s policy on undergrounding will not only increase bills, but suffocate the economic potential of Wales’s green industrial revolution.
Hansard · 29 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
AD
Ann Davies
Whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh Government on the replacement of overhead pylons with underground cabling.
AD
Ann Davies
My constituency is the location of two major infrastructure projects—a network of pylons of 97 km and 60 km, alongside 248 wind turbines that are 230 metres tall. The cumulative impact of these projects is significant, occupying land that could support other development, and it remains unclear whether they will lower e…
HT
Henry Tufnell
I like my constituency neighbour, the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin (Ann Davies) , and Plaid wants to be taken seriously as a party of government, but it fails to recognise the importance of the role that renewable energy will play. Does the Secretary of State agree with RenewableUK Cymru, which recently concluded that P…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
DC
David Chadwick
During the second world war, over 200 people were forced to leave their homes and give up their land in the Epynt when more than half of the community was taken for use by the Ministry of Defence. The people of the Epynt understood why that sacrifice had to be made, but now, Bute Energy and its wealthy investment backe…
JS
Jo Stevens
I have heard what the hon. Lady has said, but we do have a policy to ensure that communities that host clean energy infrastructure can directly benefit. The new community funds guidance aims to improve the consistency and amount of funding for communities that could be used for local projects. Turning to bill discounts…
JS
Jo Stevens
Labour is the only party that is committed to investing in renewable energy, which will bring down bills and create thousands of jobs for people right across Wales. Plaid and Reform are against renewable infrastructure, and Plaid and the SNP do not want nuclear—Plaid’s economy spokesperson in the Senedd is anti-nuclear…
JS
Jo Stevens
It sounds like the Liberal Democrats in Wales have the same position as Plaid Cymru. Our priority is to drive growth, lower bills and create jobs for people through our new green energy revolution, including those in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. Investment in his constituency is something he should be welcoming.
Spending Review 202516 Jul 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Through the spending review, we are providing a record £22.4 billion per year on average for the Welsh Government; investing at least £445 million in Welsh rail; investing £211 million a year in local growth funding; and providing £118 million of new funding for coal tip safety. This Labour Government are investing in Wales’s economy,… public services and people. We have ended Conservative austerity.
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
CJ
Christine Jardine
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the spending review 2025 on Wales.
BL
Ben Lake
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the spending review 2025 on Wales.
CJ
Christine Jardine
I was pleased to see funding for a number of transport projects in Wales in the spending review, not least because my city of Edinburgh is now linked directly by rail to the Secretary of State’s city of Cardiff. Lumo, which runs services in Scotland through open access, is hoping to begin a service through south Wales.…
BL
Ben Lake
I was pleased to hear the Secretary of State explain in evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee last week that Wales will receive a Barnett consequential of some £200 million as a result of transport announcements for English mayoral combined authority areas made in the lead up to the spending review. Could the Secreta…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee.
JS
Jo Stevens
I very much agree with the hon. Lady about the benefits to the Union of the significant investment that this Government are making in transport. I am very happy to take away her comment on Lumo and open access, and talk to the Rail Minister on her behalf.
JS
Jo Stevens
My understanding is that the just over £200 million figure that I referred to in my evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee relates to the combined mayoral authority announcements that were made prior to the spending review.
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee for her question. Monday was a really significant day for Welsh steelmaking. I was at the groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction of the electric arc furnace, which will be one of the largest in the world, securing 5,000 jobs and the future of steelmaking in Port T…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Government’s investment in the electric arc furnace shows how serious our commitment is to the steel industry, not just in south Wales but across the UK. It is why we have slashed energy costs for steel producers and other energy-intensive industries through the industrial strategy, strengthened procurement rules t…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am very sorry to hear about Melanie’s situation. However, I would say to the hon. Gentleman that his party were in government with the Conservatives during the coalition years. That Government delivered horrible austerity on Wales, which lead to public services in Wales being degraded. His party was the architect of …
JS
Jo Stevens
I apologise to the right hon. Lady; I am afraid I did not hear the start of her question. On tax and what the Chancellor has talked about, we stand by our manifesto commitment not to increase income tax, employee national insurance contributions or VAT. The Chancellor has said that it would be irresponsible to write fu…
JS
Jo Stevens
At the autumn Budget, we demonstrated our commitment to our fiscal rules while maintaining high levels of investment to rebuild our public services—an investment in farming as well—after the mess that the Tories left behind. We have repeatedly said that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden,…
Cross-border Rail Connectivity16 Jul 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
We are investing at least £445 million—an historic investment—in Welsh rail, to right the years of underfunding by previous Conservative Governments and to unleash Wales’s economic potential. This funding will support the permanent closing of level crossings on the north Wales main line, enabling increased services across north Wales that will improve cross-border connectivity, create… jobs and boost economic growth.
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
EB
Elsie Blundell
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve rail connectivity between north Wales and the north of England.
DR
Dave Robertson
What steps she is taking with the Welsh Government to improve cross-border rail connectivity.
EB
Elsie Blundell
The Chancellor’s announcement of at least £445 million for Welsh rail will be transformative for Welsh passengers and Better Connect workers with jobs across north Wales and Manchester, but only if we are pulling in the same direction. What steps will be taken by the Wales Office to ensure that national Governments, de…
DR
Dave Robertson
Bore da. Does the Secretary of State agree that the introduction of the midlands rail hub project, which will see an additional train per hour from Cardiff in south Wales to the midlands, is a great sign that this Government are investing not just in Wales and the midlands but in the whole country?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why I was pleased to see the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates recently launch Network North Wales in Wrexham. That really exciting plan will better connect communities in north Wales and north-west England through more rail and bus services and g…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank my hon. Friend for his question—and for his very good Welsh. The first phase of the midlands rail hub will enable additional trains between Birmingham and south Wales, strengthening cross-border connectivity between Wales and England. That is absolutely what this Government’s investment is about: creating jobs …
Oxford to Cambridge Rail Line16 Jul 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Member will know that that was an error made under the previous Conservative Government. Heavy rail infrastructure is reserved in Wales and, like every heavy rail project in England, Barnett consequentials do not apply. The UK Government’s rail network enhancements pipeline funds East West Rail—or Ox-Cam rail, as it is more commonly known—and… also directly funds projects in Wales, such as the historic at least £445 million investment in rail in Wales that was announced in the June spending review.
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
WF
Will Forster
What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the classification of the Oxford to Cambridge rail line as an England and Wales transport project on Wales.
WF
Will Forster
The Government have claimed that listing the Oxford to Cambridge rail line as “England-only” on past documents was just an accounting error by the Conservative Government and that the project has not been reclassified to deprive Wales of funding, but four separate Government documents list it as “England-only”, and ove…
AB
Alex Barros-Curtis
The Welsh Government allocated over £1 billion to transport in their recent Budget. This investment comes after 14 years of critical under-investment by the Conservatives, and it should hopefully provide funding to stations such as Ely Mill in my constituency. Can the Secretary of State tell me why the Welsh Conservati…
JS
Jo Stevens
As I have just explained, an error was made by the previous Conservative Government. Heavy rail was and always is reserved. The Welsh Government will not be required to re-pay any Barnett consequentials provided to them as a result of any error that took place under the Conservative Government.
JS
Jo Stevens
The Opposition’s decision to vote against the additional funding was inexplicable, as was their decision to vote against extra money for the NHS, for education and for businesses—I could go on. They stand here and criticise this Government while they vote against extra money for Wales.
Offshore Wind16 Jul 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
In June, the Crown Estate announced that it will partner with Equinor and Gwynt Glas to develop floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. Those projects will create over 5,000 new jobs and will leverage £1.4 billion in private investment. This will deliver generational change in Wales. We are supporting the industry with an £80… million investment in Port Talbot port and a £1 billion clean energy supply chain fund to support offshore wind across the UK.
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
PM
Perran Moon
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for offshore wind in Wales.
PM
Perran Moon
Meur ras ha myttin da, Mr Speaker—or should I say “Diolch yn fawr”? The proposed floating offshore wind farms in the Celtic sea lie between the two ancient Celtic nations of Wales and Cornwall. The Celtic sea not only will be a valuable source of renewable energy but has the potential to create thousands of jobs across…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call Jim Shannon. [Interruption.]
JS
Jim Shannon
I know that cheer was not for me, Mr Speaker. When it comes to offshore wind in Wales, the waters in which that offshore wind energy will be generated are the same waters that flow by Northern Ireland, the same waters that flow by England and the same waters that flow by Scotland. Is it not time to have an offshore win…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is right that floating offshore wind presents significant opportunities for Wales and the UK. In the leasing round that just took place we had a first-mover advantage in this technology of the future. Earlier this month, the Energy Secretary granted development consent for the Mona offshore wind farm, wh…
JS
Jo Stevens
I always believe that we do things better when we do them together.
Devolution: Crown Estate11 Jun 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I wish to start by paying tribute to Sir Billy Boston, the trailblazing Welsh rugby league legend who received a knighthood this week. It is fitting that Sir Billy is first recipient of a knighthood for services to rugby league, and I commend those colleagues who have campaigned so hard for this well-deserved award. This… Government are totally focused on taking maximum advantage of the opportunities that floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea presents for Wales. The industry has the potential to create more than 5,000 jobs and bring £1.4 billion of investment into the UK economy in coming years. We do not support devolution of the Crown Estate, as that would risk market fragmentation, jeopardising those jobs and the significant investment that Wales deserves.
Hansard · 11 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
KB
Kirsty Blackman
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential merits of devolving the Crown Estate.
KB
Kirsty Blackman
In contrast to that, recent research by the Crown Estate Scotland has revealed that in one 12-month period, the Crown Estate helped its tenants to generate an economic impact of £2.1 billion, and supported almost 17,000 jobs. A decade on from the devolution of the Crown Estate’s assets and revenue, Scottish voters are …
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
Devolving the Crown Estate sounds like such a wonderful idea, but the truth is that it really is not, and the continued lobbying and loud chat about devolving the Crown Estate is jeopardising future investment in Wales, and jobs. Does the Secretary of State agree?
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
There is no long-term vision. Torfaen council has voted unanimously to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales, which means that every local authority in Wales, including every Labour-run council, supports the policy. Does the Secretary of State really believe that the UK Labour Government know better than the entirety of We…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Was that the answer? It is hardly even looking at the question. In opposition, the Secretary of State for Wales joined Plaid Cymru in condemning the Conservatives for denying Wales £4.6 billion in rail funding. Now in government, she is waxing lyrical about 10% of that, and she was recently content to move the goalpost…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am afraid that I will not take any lectures on the Crown Estate from the SNP, whose mismanagement of the Scottish seabed has seen Scottish assets sold off on the cheap. We are focused on doing whatever it takes to secure the more than 5,000 jobs, and billions of pounds of investment, that the Crown Estate can help to…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. If we were to devolve the Crown Estate and introduce a new entity, that would risk market fragmentation, complicate existing processes, and delay further development offshore, jeopardising those jobs and that investment. Even if it could be done without risking the revenues, that wou…
JS
Jo Stevens
I refer the right hon. Lady to my previous answer.
JS
Jo Stevens
I listened carefully to the right hon. Lady’s question, and I am sure that she would not wish unintentionally to mislead the House. The situation regarding the Oxford-Cambridge line was an error made by the Conservative Government in the 2021 spending review, and as she knows, heavy rail infrastructure is reserved, not…
Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Wales11 Jun 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
We have transformed the relationship with the Welsh Government, and our two Labour Governments are delivering on the priorities of the people of Wales. Together we have delivered a record-breaking budget settlement for the Welsh Government; NHS waiting lists have fallen for four months in a row; tens of thousands of new jobs have been… secured through inward investment; and pay rises are helping people across Wales, following the record increases to the national and living wage.
Hansard · 11 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
SP
Sarah Pochin
What steps she is taking to strengthen Wales’s place in the Union.
SP
Sarah Pochin
Diolch yn fawr. Welsh Labour has been in power in Cardiff Bay for 26 years. In that time, Wales has fallen further and further behind its nearest neighbour in the Union in almost every key devolved area. Welsh household incomes are lower than in England; Welsh employment rates are lower than in England; and Welsh life …
AB
Alex Barros-Curtis
The safety and maintenance of coal tips is a totemic issue in Wales, including in my constituency of Cardiff West. The relationship between the Welsh Government and this Labour Government, and the funding for coal tips in the last Budget, signify the importance of the union between our two Governments. Can the Secretar…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State, Mims Davies.
MD
Mims Davies
Does the Minister prefer peanuts, cashew nuts or simply scraps for Wales? The fabled “two Labour Governments in lockstep” is simply a myth for voters. Changing rail classifications and short-changing Welsh communities is a true reality. Is the Minister concerned about today’s reported peanuts? When did she become aware…
JS
Jo Stevens
Actually, the positive impact that our UK and Welsh Labour Governments are having is clear in how the Welsh economy is changing. Employment has increased significantly in Wales, unemployment and economic inactivity have fallen, and real total wages have increased right across the UK.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend raises an important point. Ensuring that coal tips across Wales remain safe is of the utmost importance and, unlike the Conservative Government, we committed £25 million of funding this year for essential work to keep tips maintained and safe. Quite why Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives voted against tha…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Lady’s party, which was in government for 14 years, was in power when Wales got 1% of the rail enhancement budget, although it has 11% of the whole UK network. Her party is responsible for the historical underfunding of Welsh rail, and we will hear from the Chancellor this afternoon about what this Government …
JS
Jo Stevens
Obviously, the Royal Welsh Show is a landmark event in the calendar in Wales every year. I would be happy to offer the hon. Member a meeting with the Minister responsible for farming at the Wales Office.
Employment: Wales11 Jun 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Since July, we have driven over £1.5 billion of private investment into Wales, delivering hundreds of jobs. Last month, I was delighted to welcome Knauf Insulation’s new £170 million investment in Shotton. Our Welsh freeports and investment zones will unlock further private investment and deliver tens of thousands of jobs across all four corners of… Wales. Last month, Lloyds Bank reported a significant increase in Welsh business confidence, and our industrial strategy will provide further confidence to invest in Wales.
Hansard · 11 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
JB
Johanna Baxter
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to create new jobs in Wales.
RH
Rachel Hopkins
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to create new jobs in Wales.
JB
Johanna Baxter
This Labour Government are creating good, well-paid jobs across the whole of the UK, including in my Paisley and Renfrewshire South constituency. Will the Secretary of State explain what she is doing, in collaboration with Cabinet colleagues, to ensure that those new jobs are well paid and have good terms and condition…
RH
Rachel Hopkins
The multibillion-pound deal to secure a new Universal theme park in Bedfordshire is a major example of the Government backing our crucial culture sector, creating new jobs and boosting living standards for my constituents and the wider region. What are the UK and Welsh Labour Governments doing to support the culture se…
CL
Carla Lockhart
Job creation in Wales is vital, so what representations has the Secretary of State made on behalf of businesses in Wales and the rest of Great Britain, which are being forced not to supply businesses in Northern Ireland any more because of the outrageous and unnecessary parcel border in the Irish sea? What is she doing…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the Labour Government’s record of creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the UK. In Wales, we have two Labour Governments working together to create new jobs in our green industries, advanced manufacturing and more. I hope that Scotland also gets to experience the benefit…
JS
Jo Stevens
I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Many people in Wales will be looking forward to visiting the new Universal Studios theme park in her constituency. In Wales, we are supporting a thriving creative industries sector, which our industrial strategy has rightly identified as providing more potential for huge economic…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Lady will know that the Government’s No. 1 mission is economic growth. We are creating jobs all across the country, we are building the economy and we have fixed the foundations. We will hear more from the Chancellor this afternoon on what will happen in the years ahead.
JS
Jo Stevens
I say again that the positive impact of the UK and Welsh Labour Governments is clear in how the Welsh economy is changing. Employment has increased significantly in Wales, unemployment and economic activity have fallen, and real total wages have increased across the UK.
Nuclear Power11 Jun 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Yesterday we announced the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation. We are investing £14.2 billion to build Sizewell C, and we confirmed Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to build the country’s small modular reactors. I met the chair of Great British Energy Nuclear last week to discuss how to maximise the opportunities for… Wales of new nuclear projects, and I will continue to work with the Energy Secretary and the Welsh Government to ensure that Wales’s supply chain and workforce benefit from that investment.
Hansard · 11 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
JR
Jack Rankin
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the future of nuclear power in Wales.
JR
Jack Rankin
Wales has incredible potential for the next generation of nuclear, but Labour’s announcement yesterday is a fraction of what is needed. Green baseload power that stabilises our grid enhances power generation, as it has done before in Anglesey. Will the Minister give a clearer answer today to confirm that Wales will be …
CH
Claire Hughes
In 14 years, the Conservatives delivered no new nuclear anywhere in the country, including in Wales. Does the Secretary of State agree that this Labour Government are committed to delivering energy security, good jobs and lower bills for families across Wales?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, I welcome in the Gallery the President and the delegation of the French National Assembly. I also welcome the knighthood given to Sir Billy Boston.
JS
Jo Stevens
Almost all the UK’s nuclear power stations are currently due to come offline in the 2030s. It is this Government who are changing that, setting out our plan to end the years of Tory failure to invest or deliver on nuclear. We will deliver the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend will know that the Sizewell C consortium, for example—a group of more than 200 nuclear supply chain companies—has a memorandum of understanding with the Welsh Government that will result in an investment of up to £900 million in the Welsh nuclear supply chain. Great British Energy Nuclear acquired the Wy…
Proposed Visitor Levy30 Apr 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
In 2024, British residents took over 7.5 million overnight trips in Wales, and during these trips they spent a total of £2.24 billion. Wales’s tourism sector is thriving, as was clear to see last month during the visit of the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith)… , to Elan Valley Lakes, which will benefit from an £11.8 million investment from both the UK and Welsh Governments. According to the Welsh Government, if a visitor levy were to be introduced by all Welsh authorities, that could potentially raise up to £33 million.
Hansard · 30 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
JC
John Cooper
Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the economy in Wales.
JC
John Cooper
With the Welsh bottle deposit scheme going down the same disastrous dead end as the Scottish bottle deposit scheme, and now more costs are being added to Welsh tourism, making staycations more expensive, the Government appear to be creating a hostile environment for business. Add in the review of the UK internal market…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
Attacking the Welsh hospitality sector with the Welsh Government’s disastrous tourism tax is supposedly a good plan, yet their impact assessment warns of a potential loss of over a quarter of a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money. Meanwhile, last week Labour pulled the plug on funding for the western gateway, a vital sc…
GG
Gill German
Yesterday, Wales lost a musical icon with the passing of Mike Peters from The Alarm. Mike had an extraordinary relationship with his fans, and he brought thousands of visitors from across the world into the area for his annual event, the Gathering. Mike Peters, his warmth and his music put north Wales on the map for vi…
JS
Jo Stevens
Wales is the second-best recycling nation in the whole world.
JS
Jo Stevens
Investment in Cardiff airport is a matter for the Welsh Government. I recognise the importance of Cardiff airport to the economy of the South Wales region, with thousands of jobs stemming from the airport and the economic ecosystem supported by it. Airlines such as Tui and Vueling have recently added several new destin…
JS
Jo Stevens
Music tourism is a huge part of the Welsh visitor economy, and I was very sad to hear about Mike Peters’ death. Mike and The Alarm were the sounds of my teenage years when I was growing up in north Wales. He was a proud Welshman, a hugely talented musician and a man of incredible resilience. As well as bringing music t…
Brexit: Economic Impact30 Apr 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
We are negotiating a new partnership with the EU and believe that securing a broad-based security partnership, bringing closer co-operation on law and order and tackling barriers to trade will boost our economies, keep us safe and improve families’ finances. Since coming into government, I have worked with UK and Welsh Government colleagues to drive… more than £1.5 billion in private investment into Wales from the likes of Eren Holding and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, creating hundreds of jobs and laying the groundwork for thousands more.
Hansard · 30 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
DD
Dave Doogan
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the economy in Wales.
DD
Dave Doogan
Only this Government can deliver cold comfort and warm words all in the same sentence. The fact of the matter is that, after the Labour-Tory hard Brexit, the Welsh economy suffered by £4 billion, trade has gone down by £1 billion and Wales has lost £1 billion in European structural and development funding. On top of th…
JM
Jessica Morden
Closer collaboration between the UK and the EU on defence and defence spending is an important part of strengthening our relationship and will be important for the Welsh economy, including for companies such as EnerSys, which I visited recently, which produce specialist batteries for defence and other applications. Wil…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Reports of a new UK-EU strategic partnership to reduce trade barriers will, at last, be a welcome boost to Wales’s food and drinks producers, given that 75% of the sector’s exports go to the EU. All producers from farm to fork of our wonderful Welsh produce make a vital contribution to Wales’s economy. Will the Secreta…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
On another note, Policy in Practice shows that nearly half of the 10 UK local authority areas worst hit by Labour’s welfare cuts are in Wales—that is 190,000 people affected in Wales, hitting our post-industrial quarrying and coalmining communities hard. How does the Secretary of State explain to Welsh colleagues why t…
JS
Jo Stevens
Welsh businesses both large and small tell us time and again that they are being held back by red tape. We need to tackle the barriers to trade in order to help drive investment, jobs and growth for both the UK and EU economies. Nationalists can continue their obsession with the constitution, putting up borders instead…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the potential for growth. This Government’s commitment to increase defence spending means that our strong defence manufacturing base in Wales and the skilled jobs it supports has real potential for growth. The top five suppliers to the Ministry of Defence all have a footprint in…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am delighted to support the Welsh food and farming industry, and I absolutely concur with the right hon. Lady’s comments.
JS
Jo Stevens
As the right hon. Lady might know, none of those reforms has actually gone into effect yet, so nobody has been affected by them. We inherited a Tory welfare system that is the worst of all worlds: it provides the wrong incentives, discouraging people from working, while the people who really need a safety net are still…
Strengthening the Union30 Apr 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
In Wales, the partnership between our two Labour Governments is delivering on the people’s priorities. NHS waiting lists have fallen for three consecutive months. We are creating tens of thousands of jobs in every corner of Wales through our freeports, investment zones, support for steelworkers, inward investments and thriving green industries.
Hansard · 30 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
AR
Andrew Ranger
What steps she is taking to strengthen the Union.
JM
Julie Minns
What steps she is taking to strengthen the Union.
AR
Andrew Ranger
Supporting people into work is the right thing to do, not just economically but morally. I therefore welcome the recently announced UK Trailblazer programme in north Wales, which will do away with the one-size-fits-all approach and will instead meet people where they are, giving them a greater chance to secure stable a…
JM
Julie Minns
Since this UK Labour Government were elected, more than 2 million extra GP appointments have been delivered in England, and thanks to a record- breaking £21 billion Budget settlement, waiting lists in Wales have gone down three months in a row. Does the Secretary of State agree that our NHS and our country are safer an…
JA
Jim Allister
Does the Secretary of State think that the imposition from tomorrow of a parcels border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will strengthen the Union, given that parcels, business to business, from Wales or any other part of the UK to Northern Ireland, will now be subject to EU customs declarations and checks? H…
JS
Jo Stevens
Many congratulations to Wrexham. I am delighted to see them promoted, and very sad to see Cardiff relegated. My hon. Friend is right: the Government understand that work is crucial not just to our health and wellbeing, but to improving our living standards. That is why we announced last week a £10 million pilot in Blae…
JS
Jo Stevens
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. Driving down NHS waiting lists is a shared priority for both the UK and the Welsh Labour Governments. As she says, waiting list have fallen for three consecutive months as a result of our two Governments working together. Meanwhile, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru voted aga…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the hon. and learned Member for his question. As I said in reply to an earlier question, we want to make sure that trading is made easier and that we remove the red tape and barriers. Those are the discussions that we are having at the moment with the EU.
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I definitely believe that the UK is stronger with the four nations working together.
JS
Jo Stevens
Tata made the decision to close the blast furnaces in January 2024, six months before the general election. It closed the coke ovens in March 2024, when an agreement on the grant for the electric arc furnace had already been made. The hon. Gentleman might remember that blast furnace 5 closed down on polling day. The ti…
Employer National Insurance Contributions: Impact on Employment12 Mar 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I am sure the whole House will wish to join me in sending our deepest sympathy to the family, friends and neighbours of Joanne Penney, who was callously murdered in Talbot Green on Sunday. It is a shocking and horrific crime. We have protected the smallest businesses and more than doubled the employment allowance to… £10,500, meaning that over half of small and micro businesses will pay less or no national insurance contributions at all. In Wales, small and medium-sized companies account for 99.3% of total enterprises.
Hansard · 12 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
RS
Rebecca Smith
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the rise in employer national insurance contributions on employment in Wales.
RS
Rebecca Smith
Businesses across Wales, like those across my constituency of South West Devon, are being hit not only by Labour’s job tax but by the increasing minimum wage, rising costs and other business tax increases. Each of those alone would force many to reduce their workforce, but the combination of all three means that busine…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Let us go to the shadow Front Bench. I call the shadow Secretary of State for Wales.
MD
Mims Davies
Who is the Secretary of State battling for, Kazakhstan or Wales? Labour’s political choices mean countless jobs in Wales are at risk due to the national insurance rise. The damaging impact that is having in the Minister’s back yard is clear, with more than 1,800 jobs reportedly at risk at Cardiff University—in one of t…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
JS
Jo Stevens
If the Conservative party cares so much about employment and business in Wales, perhaps the hon. Lady should explain why her colleagues in the Senedd voted last week to block thousands of new apprenticeships and more than £300 million of support for businesses in Wales. Her party voted against that.
JS
Jo Stevens
I am not sure where the hon. Member has got the idea about outsourcing jobs. It was her party that told our universities across the country to go out and recruit international students, which they did. Now, because of that and because of what happened under her Government’s watch, those international students are not c…
JS
Jo Stevens
The criterion for the announcement last week is publicly available; I suggest the hon. Gentleman has a look at it.
JS
Jo Stevens
Plaid Cymru’s manifesto for the general election had £5 billion of unfunded commitments. If the right hon. Lady’s party were in power, we would be facing the same legacy that we had from the Conservative party: a £22 billion black hole that has meant that we have had to take difficult decisions. Her constituents will w…
JS
Jo Stevens
We inherited a Tory welfare system that is the worst of all worlds: it has the wrong incentives; it discourages people from working; the people who really need a safety net are still not getting the dignity and support that they need; and the taxpayer is funding an ever-spiralling bill. It is unsustainable, indefensibl…
Crown Estate: Devolution12 Mar 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I recently met the Deputy First Minister to discuss a wide range of issues, including the Crown Estate. The UK and Welsh Governments are focused on taking maximum advantage of the opportunities that floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea presents for Wales, which could create over 5,000 jobs and £1.4 billion of investment to… the UK economy in the coming years.
Hansard · 12 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
SG
Stephen Gethins
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on devolving the Crown Estate.
SG
Stephen Gethins
In the 2011 Scottish National party manifesto, we committed to have the equivalent of 100% of Scotland’s electricity generated from renewables. The SNP met that target and then some, thanks to the devolution of the Crown Estate and to working with industry. It is now delivering jobs and clean, green energy to Scotland …
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
Does the Secretary of State agree that the Government’s priorities should be ensuring that the Crown Estate can unlock thousands of new well-paid jobs in Wales that will come with floating offshore wind, rather than being distracted by calls to devolve the organisation in the middle of this national mission, which woul…
JS
Jo Stevens
I will not take any lectures on the Crown Estate from the hon. Member, whose party’s mismanagement of the Scottish seabed resulted in Scottish assets being sold off on the cheap. We are focused on doing whatever it takes to secure more than 5,000 jobs in Wales and the billions of pounds of investment that the Crown Est…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Like her, I want people in Wales to benefit from those 5,300 new jobs, particularly young people, so that they do not have to leave Wales, where they have grown up, to earn or learn. I want that £1.4 billion boost to the economy. We are not prepared to put all that at risk of market …
Welsh Tourism Industry12 Mar 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Wales has a world-class tourism offer. I fully support the Welsh Government’s support for the tourism sector through Visit Wales and other initiatives. Last month, the UK Government announced a £15 million investment for Venue Cymru in Llandudno and the Newport transporter bridge. These are two key projects that will help to boost the tourism… and culture sector in Wales.
Hansard · 12 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JR
Joe Robertson
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to support the Welsh tourism industry.
JR
Joe Robertson
The tourism and hospitality sector in the UK is one of the most heavily taxed in Europe. Will the Secretary of State press the Chancellor to reduce the tax burden in this area to help drive local economies that rely on tourism in Wales and in constituencies such as mine on the Isle of Wight?
HT
Henry Tufnell
More than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world have introduced a form of visitor levy, including Greece, Amsterdam, Barcelona and California. What work is the Secretary of State doing with the Welsh Government to support our vital tourism industry?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State, Mims Davies.
MD
Mims Davies
Sadly, there will be no more Easter family fun at Oakwood, which has made it clear that its final demise, after covid, is due to Labour’s looming tourism tax, the job tax and sky-high business rates from the Senedd, meaning that it is all over. How many more tourist and hospitality businesses need to tell the UK Govern…
JS
Jo Stevens
I would gently remind the hon. Gentleman that his party in government put the highest tax burden in 70 years on the people and businesses of this country, leaving a £22 billion black hole that we have had to try to sort out.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend has one of the most beautiful constituencies in Wales, and I know that tourism is critical to his local economy. Indeed, tourism probably remains the only way to see a Conservative MP in Wales after the general election. The visitor levy is set to raise up to £33 million for the tourism sector across Wal…
JS
Jo Stevens
Last week, the hon. Lady’s colleagues in the Senedd voted against extra money for tourism—[Interruption.] They did! Maybe she should have a conversation with Darren Millar, her colleague in the Senedd, but I do not think they are having that sort of conversation at the moment because they are still arguing about who is…
NHS Waiting Lists12 Mar 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I regularly meet the First Minister to discuss a wide range of matters, including NHS waiting lists. The latest data shows positive progress in reducing long waiting times and the size of the waiting list, thanks to investment by both the UK and Welsh Governments.
Hansard · 12 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
DM
Douglas McAllister
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on NHS waiting lists.
DM
Douglas McAllister
I am appalled to hear that Plaid Cymru voted against £600 million of extra investment to bring down NHS waiting list in Wales, but I am afraid that this is a familiar story for our Scottish Members. Does the Secretary of State agree that nationalist parties will always prioritise niche constitutional distractions over …
JS
Jim Shannon
One of the issues with waiting lists in Wales, as is the case all across the United Kingdom, concerns those who have been waiting first for diabetes diagnosis and then for treatment. There used to be a strategy in Westminster that encompassed not just England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Would the Secreta…
JS
Jo Stevens
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. Plaid Cymru Members will have to explain to their constituents why they voted against £600 million extra for the NHS last week, blocking crucial funding from reaching our hospitals, NHS staff and patients in Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
We are talking about nations and regions, rather than just regions, but I would be happy to have a discussion with the hon. Gentleman outside the Chamber about that matter.
St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs27 Feb 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the Backbench Business Committee for recognising the importance of allocating time to hold this debate on Wales and Welsh affairs. I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) and the hon. Member for Ceredigion Preseli (Ben Lake) , the chair and vice-chair of the Welsh Affairs… Committee, respectively, for proposing today’s motion. It is a real honour to be the first female Labour Secretary of State for Wales and to begin delivering this Government’s plan for change. Across Wales and the whole UK we will raise living standards, make our public services fit for the future and our streets safer, secure home-grown, clean energy and ensure opportunity for all. That is the change that people across Wales need, deserve and voted for seven months ago. When we took office, I was clear that my priorities in the Wales Office included bringing investment to Wales to create well-paid jobs and economic growth, protecting and defending our steel communities and resetting the relationship between the UK Government and the Welsh Government, to be one of trust, co-operation and mutual respect. The past six months have already seen billions of pounds of investment committed and hundreds of jobs created, including at the Port of Mostyn, and at Eren Holding at Shotton Mill. The ground has been laid for thousands more in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and other growth sectors. Just this week, I announced a £600 million investment by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners into Bute Energy and Green GEN Cymru’s onshore wind generation. That will create hundreds of new jobs and contribute significantly to the UK Government’s clean power mission and our ambition to double onshore wind, as well as the Welsh Government’s target for green electricity in Wales by 2035.
Hansard · 27 Feb 2025 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
I beg to move, That this House has considered St David’s Day and Welsh Affairs. I am delighted that the Backbench Business Committee has granted this debate. It is wonderful to see colleagues in the Chamber this afternoon from across the House, many of whom kindly supported the application. This is my sixth St David’s …
AJ
Adam Jogee
Many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire enjoy the delights of Wales. As a child, my mother spent many happy summers at Colwyn Bay. This is the first St David’s Day in five years that I am not an employee of my hon. Friend, so I want to congratulate her on an excellent speech and say that, on behalf of the…
RJ
Ruth Jones
I thank my hon. Friend for that, and may I say that I have taught him all he knows? I could go on, but I do not wish to take up any more time. I want to hear from other colleagues present today, and I look forward to their contributions.
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Diolch yn fawr iawn a dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus i chi, Ddirprwy Lefarydd. A happy St David’s Day to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to everyone across the House. It is lovely to see so many daffodils. This is a time to take pride in our culture, our communities and our language—each a rugged testament to our resilience as a …
BM
Ben Maguire
I thank the right hon. Member for giving way and would like to take the chance to wish everyone a very happy St David’s Day. Does she support my calls to make St Piran’s Day, the national day of Cornwall, which is taking place next Wednesday on 5 March , a bank holiday?
JS
Jo Stevens
If the hon. Gentleman does not mind, I will carry on because we do not have much time. We have given the green light to Welsh freeports to unlock billions in private investment and galvanise almost 20,000 jobs in our port communities of Milford Haven, Port Talbot and Holyhead. Two investment zones, in Wrexham and Flint…
JS
Jo Stevens
I do not think the right hon. Lady has really listened to the list of things that have been announced for Wales in the past seven months. It is always the same with Plaid Cymru; it is always about the structures and the process and not about the outcome and the priorities of the people of Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
I will not, because the hon. Gentleman has had his speech. Turning to steel, hon. Members may recall that on election day last year, Tata was intending to shut down both its blast furnaces, ending steelmaking at Port Talbot. Again, unlike the last Tory Government who promised to Port Talbot £80 million of support that …
JS
Jo Stevens
I will not. After years of deadlock, it was this UK Government that stepped up with £25 million for the Welsh Government to keep coal tips safe. There is no better illustration of the new relationship between the two Governments than that co-operation on a matter that I know is of concern for people in former coalminin…
Visitor Levy29 Jan 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Ahead of the opening game of this year’s Six Nations in Paris on Friday evening, I know Members right across the House will want to join me in wishing the Wales team good luck in their campaign. Wales has joined a long list of other countries that have introduced a visitor levy, including Germany, Spain… and France. The Welsh Government’s Bill will enable local authorities to decide whether to implement a small levy locally. The money raised will be used to invest in Wales’s thriving tourist sector, and develop and maintain attractions for residents and visitors alike.
Hansard · 29 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
CD
Charlie Dewhirst
Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the economy in Wales.
BS
Blake Stephenson
Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the economy in Wales.
AR
Andrew Rosindell
Whether she has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed visitor levy on the economy in Wales.
CD
Charlie Dewhirst
Hospitality businesses in my constituency of Bridlington and The Wolds are rightly concerned about Labour’s plans for a tourist tax in Wales, so will the Secretary of State confirm to the House today whether it is her Government’s policy to roll out such a tax across the United Kingdom?
BS
Blake Stephenson
I welcome the Government’s ambition to welcome 50 million visitors per year to the UK by 2030, but does the Secretary of State share my concern that a visitor levy, combined with ever more expensive electronic travel authorisations, will make it much more expensive for people to visit Wales, and indeed my constituency …
JS
Jo Stevens
As the hon. Member may know, tourism is devolved, and we work closely with the devolved Governments. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport—my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for that Department is here—will carefully monitor the proposal by the Welsh Government. There are currently no plans to introduce …
JS
Jo Stevens
As far as I am aware, Mid Bedfordshire is not in Wales. The hon. Member raises objections to the Welsh Government’s policy, but he should perhaps check his own ranks first, because Conservative-run Great Yarmouth borough council has supported a form of tourist levy for years.
JS
Jo Stevens
There are a number of assumptions in the hon. Member’s question. As I say, more than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world have introduced a form of visitor levy, and many of us have paid levies when visiting other countries. As I say, one of the Conservatives’ own councils is championing a tourist lev…
Economic Growth29 Jan 2025
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Jo Stevens
Economic growth is the No. 1 priority for this Government. Our new industrial strategy and national wealth fund will boost economic growth, create jobs and drive up living standards across Wales. Working alongside ministerial colleagues, I was pleased to confirm £320 million of funding for the two investment zones in Wales, and to give the… green light for Welsh freeports. Together, these will unlock billions in private investment and create over 20,000 jobs in our ports and communities.
Hansard · 29 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
JG
John Grady
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
JG
John Grady
I, too, wish Wales luck in the Six Nations, but I wish Scotland more luck. Scotland, like Wales, is set to benefit from significant tax incentives and investment, under the UK Government’s freeports scheme. Does the Secretary of State agree that the scheme offers an excellent opportunity for economic growth?
AE
Alex Easton
Given the significance of trade relationships between Northern Ireland and Wales, particularly in agriculture and textiles, can we ensure that any economic prosperity for Wales is beneficial for Northern Ireland as well?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee.
RJ
Ruth Jones
I welcome the recent announcement on the creation of artificial intelligence growth zones across the UK, which will turbocharge growth and boost living standards. As part of that AI development, Vantage Data Centres has plans to invest over £12 billion across the UK, creating at least 11,000 jobs, including in my const…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank my hon. Friend for his question, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. The freeports programme will deliver economic growth and jobs across Wales. Anglesey freeport’s tax sites have gone live, which is excellent news. The freeport aims to attract over £1 billion of investment into the green energy sector and to …
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Gentleman may have heard the Chancellor’s speech this morning. Our No. 1 priority is economic growth right across all four nations of the United Kingdom.
JS
Jo Stevens
I am glad that my hon. Friend raised that. She will know that the Government are fully committed to harnessing AI to improve productivity and efficiency, and to boost economic growth. I was pleased to hear the Chancellor talking about AI growth zones in her speech. Like my hon. Friend, I want to ensure that Wales maxim…
JS
Jo Stevens
As I said, the Government are determined to see growth right across the United Kingdom, in all four nations. The relationship between Wales and Northern Ireland is very strong, and long may that continue.
JS
Jo Stevens
I know Ystradgynlais well, and would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss a banking hub. He will know that we have seen the decimation of high-street banks over the last 14 years. Banking hubs are a crucial element in keeping a community together, and in ensuring its access to cash.
JS
Jo Stevens
The potential job losses at Cardiff University are deeply concerning and will come as a significant blow to university staff and their families. I hope that there will be sufficient volunteers for a voluntary redundancy programme, so that we avoid compulsory redundancies, and that support will be provided to those impa…
JS
Jo Stevens
This Government have made economic growth their No. 1 mission. The Prime Minister is leading from the front in resetting the UK’s relationship with the EU. However, the right hon. Lady’s question highlights the stark risks associated with separatism. Those risks are why I will always be a strong and passionate advocate…
Crime Prevention29 Jan 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
Our plan for change will put an extra 13,000 police officers, police community support officers and special constables on our streets across the UK, including in Wales. In December, I opened a brand-new base for Gwent police in Abergavenny, so that officers can better serve the town and restore the visible, accessible policing that our… communities deserve.
Hansard · 29 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
CF
Catherine Fookes
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support crime prevention in Wales.
CF
Catherine Fookes
In Monmouthshire, domestic abuse victims and survivors tell me that their voices still are not heard by the police. They stress the need for those on the ground to be better trained in early intervention, which can prevent escalation and reduce violent behaviour and domestic abuse overall. What steps can be taken with …
RS
Robin Swann
Rural crime is a scourge across the entirety of the United Kingdom. What discussions has the Secretary of State had with her Cabinet colleagues on ensuring a consistent approach to tackling rural crime across the UK?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
An ITV Wales investigation last year discovered 28 prevention of future death reports over a 16-month period relating to the north Wales Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Welsh Secretary’s predecessor called for an inquiry into these tragedies. Meanwhile, answers are rightly being sought, as there is clear e…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend will know that the Prime Minister’s plan for change reinforced our manifesto ambition to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will do everything in our power to achieve that. We will put specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force in Wales, and early this year we wil…
JS
Jo Stevens
We were elected on a manifesto that included a mission for safer streets across every nation of the United Kingdom. We will put police back on the beat, ensure there is a named officer for every neighbourhood, and provide 13,000 additional officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourh…
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Lady will be aware that, unlike the previous Government, we are determined to give the victims of child sexual exploitation the long-overdue justice that they deserve by enacting the recommendations of the Jay review. On 16 January , the Home Secretary announced that victims will be given more power to have th…
JS
Jo Stevens
That is a bit rich coming from the hon. Lady. Previous Conservative Governments—her Governments—decimated the Ministry of Justice budget. Crown court delays, victims waiting years for Crown court trials—that all happened under their watch. We are protecting women and girls in Wales, where the Tories failed to do so.
NHS Reform29 Jan 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
The Budget provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services, such as the NHS. The Welsh Government announced £157 million of funding for the NHS in Wales this year, and more than £600 million extra in their draft budget to fund health and social care and drive down waiting… lists.
Hansard · 29 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on NHS reform in Wales.
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
The Labour party has been running the NHS for 25 years in Wales, where waiting lists are through the roof, compared with those in England. Does the Secretary of State agree with Mr Mark Drakeford that what Wales really needs is fewer hospitals?
CH
Claire Hughes
Will the Secretary of State outline how she and her colleagues are working with the Welsh Government to improve health outcomes for people in Wales?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
Labour has been running the NHS badly in Wales since Tony Blair was Prime Minister, with waiting times constantly at record levels ever since. The Government cannot just devolve and forget—the people of Wales need to see and feel proactivity from the Wales Office. Everybody knows somebody waiting in pain in Wales. Last…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Welsh Government have no plans to close any hospitals. I will not be taking any lectures from the Conservatives, with their fictitious plan to build 40 new hospitals in England. The hospitals do not exist; the money did not exist—they are not happening.
JS
Jo Stevens
We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration with the Welsh Government to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future in both England and Wales—a marked change from previous UK Governments, who were obstructive and hostile to the Welsh Government. We are sharing best practice,…
JS
Jo Stevens
The £600 million that the Welsh Government are to invest in the Welsh NHS can happen only if the hon. Lady’s colleagues in the Senedd vote for the budget. If they do not vote for it, the money will not happen.
Net Zero29 Jan 2025
JS
Jo Stevens
I am working with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to ensure that Wales plays a leading role in reaching our net zero targets and clean power by 2030. By supporting floating offshore wind, onshore wind, hydrogen, nuclear, tidal and carbon capture, we are seizing the unique economic opportunity of net… zero to boost growth and create jobs across Wales.
Hansard · 29 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
RF
Richard Foord
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on meeting net zero targets in Wales.
RF
Richard Foord
On floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea, the Secretary of State said: “Floating offshore wind represents a golden opportunity” not just for meeting net zero targets but “for lower energy bills, new jobs and the industries of the future”. Do the Government think that the opportunities from offshore wind can extend f…
JS
Jo Stevens
The economic opportunities of floating offshore wind are significant, and, obviously, the Celtic sea is a big area off parts of both England and Wales. We are working closely to seize those economic opportunities to deliver jobs and growth, and we want to see economic growth and jobs throughout the United Kingdom.
Budget 202411 Dec 2024
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Jo Stevens
If I may, I first want to thank the workers and emergency responders across Wales for all their work over the weekend to protect people and property during Storm Darragh. I am sure the whole House will join me in sending condolences to the families of the two people who lost their lives. The autumn… Budget delivered for Wales for the first time in a generation, and the Welsh Government have received the largest settlement in real terms since devolution, at £21 billion. That includes an additional £1.7 billion through the Barnett formula, providing a spending boost to public services such as the NHS.
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
BL
Ben Lake
What assessment she has made of the impact of the autumn Budget 2024 on Wales.
BL
Ben Lake
I associate myself with the words of the Secretary of State about all those impacted by Storm Darragh and all those working hard to restore power. The Welsh Government’s draft Budget yesterday noted that the UK Government will be providing additional support to mitigate the cost to public organisations of the additiona…
CH
Carolyn Harris
The Budget commitment of £80 million for the Tata transition board was indeed welcome, but Thrive, the domestic abuse organisation in Neath and Port Talbot, is concerned that since the Tata announcement there has been a rise both in reported incidents of domestic violence and in demand for prevention services for perpe…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
MD
Mims Davies
First, my sympathies go out to all residents and businesses impacted by the weekend’s storm. I also thank Andrew R. T. Davies for his leadership of our party in the Senedd, and I wish Darren Millar well. The UK Labour Chancellor has plummeted business confidence through the floor with her Budget actions on the family f…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Welsh Government will receive additional funds to help with the cost of national insurance contributions, on top of that record Budget settlement of £21 billion—the biggest since the dawn of devolution. However, that critical funding and all the investment announced in the Budget yesterday by the Welsh Government w…
JS
Jo Stevens
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all her work to tackle domestic abuse. She is such an effective advocate for the people she campaigns for. I also want to thank Thrive for all the work that it does in Neath and Port Talbot. I want to assure my hon. Friend that one of the transition board’s aims is to support the wel…
JS
Jo Stevens
I appreciate that the hon. Lady, representing a constituency on the south coast of England, may not be familiar with the landscape of businesses in Wales. In Wales, 94.6% of small and medium-sized enterprises are microbusinesses, and 3.8% are small businesses. We protected the smallest businesses and more than doubled …
JS
Jo Stevens
I think someone should get the right hon. Lady a calculator, because the Plaid Cymru asks for the Budget would create at least £5 billion a year in unfunded bills for the taxpayer. Its plans for HS2, the winter fuel allowance and the two-child benefit cap would mean significant spending cuts in Wales. We are not prepar…
JS
Jo Stevens
The right hon. Lady knows that I was referring to the second phase of HS2, which the Conservative Government cancelled. And she knows, because I have said it before and will say it again, that I remain very angry about the previous Government’s broken promises on rail and on HS2. I am working in partnership with the We…
Clean Energy Projects11 Dec 2024
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Jo Stevens
This Government are supporting clean energy projects in Wales. Seven tidal, solar and onshore wind projects were successful in the recent contracts for difference round, and we have given the Celtic and Anglesey freeports the green light, which will enable green industries to grow, creating new jobs. I am also delighted that 13 projects have… been successful in the first round of the Crown Estate’s £50 million supply chain accelerator fund, which will support the delivery of floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea.
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
RJ
Ruth Jones
The Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith) , was recently with me in Llandudno at a roundtable with the main stakeholders in floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. This project is ready to go, and it will bring massive benefits through cheaper, more secure ener…
LM
Llinos Medi
Steel is a key component of developing clean energy projects. In response to my written question, the Government confirmed that they have estimated the cost of nationalising British Steel to safeguard the plant’s future. Can the Secretary of State explain why the Government did that for British Steel but dismissed nati…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. We know that floating offshore wind will be critical to delivering our clean energy mission, and Wales has a huge part to play in that. The UK Government, jointly with the Welsh Government, recognise these opportunities and what they present for Wales, and we are determined to t…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Government have no plans to nationalise British Steel.
Tourism Levy: Jobs11 Dec 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
The Welsh Government have introduced a Bill in the Senedd that will give local authorities in Wales the choice to introduce a levy on overnight stays in visitor accommodation. It will be for individual councils to decide whether they will introduce a small charge paid by people staying overnight in commercially let accommodation in Wales… to help support a thriving tourism industry.
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
GS
Gregory Stafford
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the proposed tourism levy on jobs in Wales.
GS
Gregory Stafford
I thank the Secretary of State for her response, but has she assessed the regional impact of this levy? Although the impact can perhaps be levelled out and absorbed across the whole of Wales, some communities are clearly going to be hit harder than others. How will they be compensated for the impact?
DP
Darren Paffey
Does the Secretary of State agree that the successful introduction of similar schemes in places such as Manchester, and indeed in successful tourist destinations around the world, shows that the Conservatives should stop fear-mongering and support something that could really boost Welsh tourism?
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State for Wales.
MD
Mims Davies
Tourism is vital to the Welsh economy. However, Labour’s new tourism tax has merely created attraction closures and strikes, from the zoo in Ynys Môn to the cliff railway in Aberystwyth. The Welsh Government proposal will put more jobs in jeopardy, leave hotel rooms empty and simply send Welsh families across the borde…
JS
Jo Stevens
More than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world have introduced a form of visitor levy, including Greece, Amsterdam, Barcelona and California, and many of us have paid such levies abroad without noticing. The money will help to support a long-term thriving tourism industry in Wales. I am confident that…
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. As I said, such levies are already the norm in more than 40 countries and holiday destinations around the world. Manchester shows it can work, so why can Wales not show that?
JS
Jo Stevens
I am afraid I do not recognise any of those figures from the hon. Lady. As I say, in Manchester, a similar scheme has been introduced; it has been highly successful and has raised £2.8 million in just one year. She should be more ambitious for Wales.
NHS Waiting Lists11 Dec 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
Both the UK and Welsh Governments are seized of the need to drive down waiting lists. The spending review provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion for next year to invest in public services such as the NHS. The Welsh Government recently announced an additional £50 million in this year to reduce the… longest waiting times by increasing capacity for more people to be seen and treated.
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
GM
Gagan Mohindra
What steps she is taking with the Welsh Government to help reduce NHS waiting lists in Wales.
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
What assessment she has made with the Welsh Government of trends in levels of NHS waiting lists in Wales in the last 12 months.
GM
Gagan Mohindra
The disastrous record that the Labour party has in healthcare in Wales over the past 25 years is cold comfort to residents in South West Hertfordshire if that is the template the party intends to use across the whole of the United Kingdom. Does the Secretary of State agree that the key to reducing waiting lists in Wale…
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
The Labour party has been in charge in Wales for 25 years. The percentage of patients in Wales waiting more than a year for treatment is 22.5%, compared with 4% in England. Why, in 25 years of being in charge, have you not reformed the NHS in Wales and brought down waiting lists?
AD
Anna Dixon
As the Secretary of State has just said, it was under the last Prime Minister that waiting lists increased faster in England than in Wales. Does the Secretary of State agree that recent Budget announcements by both the UK and Welsh Governments demonstrate that both Governments understand the importance of fixing our NH…
JS
Jo Stevens
If I were the hon. Gentleman, I would be a bit embarrassed about raising the subject of new hospitals given his Government’s record. The Welsh Government have just had a £21 billion record settlement, £1.7 billion of Barnett consequentials and, with the Welsh Government’s Budget yesterday, £610 million for the NHS and …
JS
Jo Stevens
I am not sure Mr Speaker is in charge of reforming the NHS in Wales. I say to the hon. Gentleman that under the previous Conservative Government, waiting lists increased by a larger percentage in England than they did in Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. As I say, there was a record settlement from Welsh Government yesterday, with £610 million announced to bring down waiting lists and increase capacity in the NHS and social care. If the parties on the Opposition Benches want more money and more investment in the NHS, they nee…
JS
Jo Stevens
I think their stance on the Welsh Government Budget says it all. They are more bothered about scoring cheap political points than they are about delivering services and investment for Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
I say to the hon. Lady that both the Welsh and the UK Governments are looking after pensioners in Wales. We made the tough, but right, decision on winter fuel payments, given our economic inheritance from the previous Conservative Government. We are focused on delivering funding and support to the people who need it mo…
JS
Jo Stevens
I am very sorry to hear about the experience of the hon. Gentleman’s constituent. Yesterday, the Welsh Government announced £610 million additional funding for the Welsh NHS and for social care. I hope that his colleagues in the Senedd will vote for the Welsh Government Budget so that we can see that investment go into…
Economic Growth: North Wales11 Dec 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
I have regular discussions with Cabinet and Welsh Government colleagues on economic growth. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Airbus in Broughton alongside the Prime Minister, and I addressed CBI Wales members alongside the First Minister. Since coming into government, we have worked to drive over £1 billion in private investment from Eren Holding… and Kellogg’s into north Wales, creating and sustaining over 400 jobs.
Hansard · 11 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
AR
Andrew Ranger
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in north Wales.
AR
Andrew Ranger
Cross-border co-operation and investment by north Wales and the Mersey Dee region of north-west England is essential to maximising growth on both sides of the border. Key to achieving that will be improved railway connectivity. Will the Secretary of State meet me and the cross-party, cross-nation Growth Track 360 group…
CL
Carla Lockhart
Today, thousands of farmers have descended on this place in a further bid to get the Government to listen and to realise the consequences of their actions. Is it not time to do the right thing by those who feed our nation and stop the family farm tax grab, which will see our farms decimated and our food security put in…
JS
Jo Stevens
I know the key role that good cross-border transport plays in strengthening economic and social ties across north Wales and the north-west of England. I was pleased to join the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport at Flint and Chester stations recently to announce a 40% increase in rail capacity, with 50% m…
JS
Jo Stevens
The UK Budget delivered £5 billion for farming over the next two years, and I was pleased that this Government were able to protect Welsh farm budgets for the next financial year. Yesterday’s Welsh Budget allocation confirmed protection of the basic payment scheme funding for the next year, and provided additional reve…
Support for the Steel Industry6 Nov 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
Steelmaking is key to our missions to grow the economy and deliver clean power by 2030. We are committed to providing up to £2.5 billion for steel in addition to the £500 million already earmarked for Tata to build its electric arc furnace at the Port Talbot steelworks. I was pleased to reaffirm at the… Budget £80 million of funding for the Port Talbot transition board, which I chair. We will continue to deliver this money to people and businesses affected.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
CH
Carolyn Harris
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the steel industry in Wales.
AT
Adam Thompson
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the steel industry in Wales.
CH
Carolyn Harris
Unlike the previous Government, this Government are fully committed to enabling the £800 million transition fund to support former steelworkers. I recently visited the steelworkers’ support centre in Port Talbot, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Aberafan Maesteg (Stephen Kinnock) . In its opening fo…
AT
Adam Thompson
I thank the Secretary of State for her hard work to support our steel industry and our general steel communities, including in Port Talbot, since she has been in post. I was pleased to see the Chancellor confirm in the Budget £80 million of funding for the transition board, which the Secretary of State chairs. Will she…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I welcome the new shadow Secretary of State for Wales.
JS
Jo Stevens
I completely agree with my hon. Friend that the hub is great. I opened the hub last month, and Community union and others have done a fabulous job with this one-stop shop to help support workers affected by the changes at Tata. This Government are determined to do everything we can to support workers and businesses. Th…
JS
Jo Stevens
In my first week as Welsh Secretary, I discovered that the £80 million promised by the previous Conservative Government for the transition board was part of the £22 billion of unfunded promises they had made. That shocking dereliction of duty threatened to leave workers and businesses high and dry without the support t…
JS
Jo Stevens
I welcome the hon. Lady to her place and join her in her comments about her former private office secretary. I think the hon. Lady needs to read the deal reached by the Government. The £1.25 billion transformation project at Port Talbot will deliver a state-of-the-art electric furnace, the contract for which has just b…
JS
Jo Stevens
If an apology is due, it is to the people of Port Talbot for promising £80 million for a transition board that operated for nine months under the previous Secretary of State for Wales, and delivered not a single penny to the people of Port Talbot, and now we know why: the £80 million did not exist.
JS
Jo Stevens
The hon. Gentleman will know from both the Budget and the international investment summit that significant investments are being made in Wales as a result of this Government’s work: £63 billion was announced at the investment summit, £1 billion to Shotton Mill in north Wales—the biggest investment in Wales for decades.…
Strengthening the Union6 Nov 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
We have reset our relationship with the Welsh Government. Our approach is based on trust and mutual respect, and is spearheaded by the new Council of the Nations and Regions, which met for the first time last month. My regular meetings with the First Minister of Wales are also driving forward our new partnership, which… is already delivering for Wales. That was evident in the biggest ever real-terms Budget settlement delivered for the Welsh Government last week.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
What steps she is taking to strengthen the Union.
MF
Mark Ferguson
What steps she is taking to strengthen the Union.
TA
Tonia Antoniazzi
The Secretary of State has been clear that this Labour Government will build a new partnership with the Welsh Government based on co-operation, respect and delivery. Will she say how the Government will give meaning to the manifesto commitment to strengthen devolution?
MF
Mark Ferguson
The Secretary of State has been very clear about the much-needed reset between the Welsh and UK Governments. Can she also make clear how the recent Budget has contributed to that reset?
TT
Thomas Tugendhat
First, may I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for East Grinstead and Uckfield (Mims Davies) , who has just taken on the role of shadow Secretary of State for Wales? It is a fantastic opportunity for her to champion a vital part of our Union. Secondly, may I ask the Secretary of State, who is newly in her post, …
JS
Jo Stevens
The previous Conservative Government ran roughshod over the devolution settlement, including by legislating in devolved areas without consent on numerous occasions. This Government will respect the devolution settlement and work in partnership with all devolved Governments. We will honour our manifesto commitment to do…
JS
Jo Stevens
Our Budget delivered for Wales for the first time in a generation, because the £21 billion settlement announced last week is the largest settlement in real terms since the dawn of devolution. It will provide a record boost for the Welsh Government to support vital public services in Wales, such as the NHS. It includes …
JS
Jo Stevens
I wonder whether the right hon. Gentleman has ever been to Anglesey—or Ynys Môn, as he describes it. I am eager to see new nuclear developments in north Wales that will provide high-quality jobs across the region and drive economic growth. We recognise that a nuclear future at Wylfa could help to deliver several of our…
JS
Jo Stevens
I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to my previous answer about the resetting of the relationship with the Welsh Government, and about working together and respecting the devolution settlement with all devolved Governments.
JS
Jo Stevens
We are having ongoing discussions with the Welsh Government about funding flexibilities and their fiscal framework. We will deliver our manifesto commitment to work with the Welsh Government to address the outdated fiscal framework. As the right hon. Lady knows, heavy rail infrastructure is not devolved in Wales as it …
Impact of the Budget6 Nov 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
I have regular discussions with the First Minister of Wales on a range of topics, including, of course, the autumn Budget. This Budget has delivered for Wales for the first time in a generation. The Welsh Government are receiving the largest settlement in real terms since devolution, to support public services such as the NHS.… More than 100,000 workers in Wales benefit from increases in the national minimum wage and the national living wage each year.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
LM
Llinos Medi
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the autumn Budget on Wales.
LM
Llinos Medi
In the Budget, the Chancellor announced that the Barnett formula would apply to funding for agriculture, rather than the devolved Governments receiving a ringfenced amount. The Farmers’ Union of Wales says that the Barnettisation of funding could lead to a cut of £146 million a year, or more than 40%. Can the Secretary…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. Mr Griffith, you are continually being a nuisance on the Front Bench. I want you either to restrict it or to go and get yourself that cup of tea.
CF
Catherine Fookes
I welcomed last week’s Budget announcements about improving rail transport, and I want to bang the drum for a most excellent project in Monmouthshire, the Magor walkway station, which is ready for investment—indeed, we might even call it oven-ready. Will my right hon. Friend commit to working with the Rail Minister and…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JS
Jo Stevens
I was very pleased that the Budget was able to protect the current farming budget for the next financial year, despite the difficult decisions that we had to make because the Conservative party had trashed our economy. [Interruption.]
JS
Jo Stevens
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Obviously, farming is devolved in Wales, and the decision on how to spend that budget will be up to the Welsh Government.
JS
Jo Stevens
My hon. Friend is a wonderful advocate for her constituency and for the Burns commission’s recommendations for her constituency, and I would be very happy to meet her to discuss them.
JS
Jo Stevens
The Budget provides the biggest ever settlement in real terms since the dawn of devolution, a protected £80 million for steelworkers and businesses, £88 million for city and growth deals, £320 million for funding through investment zones, £25 million for coal tips and a protected £440 million for local communities— I c…
Economic Growth6 Nov 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
The growth mission is the central priority for this Government. Our new industrial strategy and national wealth fund will boost economic growth across Wales, creating jobs and driving up living standards. Working alongside ministerial colleagues, I was pleased to confirm £320 million of funding for two investment zones in Wales, the green light on the… freeport in the Celtic sea and protection for local community growth funding across Wales.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
AR
Andrew Ranger
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on increasing economic growth in Wales.
AR
Andrew Ranger
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Universities in Wales, such as Wrexham University in my constituency, are crucial not just for the educational and research outcomes they provide, but for the economic opportunities they give our towns and cities, with a recent report by Universities Wales showing that the…
CL
Carla Lockhart
We say the phrase “no farmers, no food” so often, but never has there been a need for such emphasis as in the wake of the autumn Budget. Farmers in Wales, in Northern Ireland and right across this United Kingdom are reeling from the change in agricultural property relief and the impact it will have on the future of fam…
JS
Jo Stevens
I would be delighted to go back to Wrexham and visit the university with my hon. Friend. Welsh universities will benefit from record levels of investment in research and development, which will be worth over £20 billion next year. The Budget confirmed £160 million of funding for the Wrexham and Flintshire investment zo…
JS
Jo Stevens
This Government continue to provide significant tax relief for farmers. For example, farming parents are able to pass up to £3 million to their children free of tax. They then pay half of the normal inheritance tax rates on anything over £3 million, and they have up to 10 years to pay it. The vast majority of farms wil…
Healthcare Collaboration6 Nov 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
Cutting waiting lists is a top priority for both this Government and the Welsh Government. Last week’s spending review provided the Welsh Government with the largest real-terms settlement since devolution, including an additional £1.7 billion for 2025-26, enabling them to spend more on public services such as the NHS. I continue to collaborate with ministerial… colleagues in both Governments, with the aim of driving down waiting lists.
Hansard · 6 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
RJ
Ruth Jones
What discussions she is having with the Welsh Government on collaborative efforts to improve healthcare in England and Wales.
RJ
Ruth Jones
I welcome this new partnership between the Welsh and UK Governments, which represents a real opportunity to share best practice and help to cut NHS waiting lists in England and Wales. Will the Secretary of State expand on how she will ensure that patients on both sides of the border get access to the best healthcare po…
RS
Robin Swann
The Secretary of State will know that health is devolved across all the nations. Can she reassure me that the Secretary of State for Health will work with all the devolved Health Ministers to make sure that we can truly engender a national health service for the likes of mental health provision?
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
The British Medical Association in Wales says that GP funding has decreased as a percentage of the Welsh Government’s budget by over 2.6% since 2005. Treflan surgery in Pwllheli cannot afford to fill key staff roles, and Budget measures will cost it an extra £19,000. The Secretary of State for Wales knows the state of …
JS
Jo Stevens
Both Governments are working collaboratively to make the NHS fit for the future. We provided a £1.75 billion boost for the Welsh Government to spend on public services such as the NHS, and the Welsh Government have just announced £28 million to cut NHS waiting times. Both Governments are sharing best practice and will …
JS
Jo Stevens
I know that the Health and Social Care Secretary wants to ensure that the national health service across all of our four nations is fit for the future.
JS
Jo Stevens
We are not threatening GP surgeries. If the right hon. Lady does not think that the £1.7 billion additional funding to spend on the NHS in Wales as a result of the Budget is a great idea, she needs to say what she would do instead.
Clean Energy Projects11 Sep 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
This is my first oral questions session as Welsh Secretary, so I congratulate and welcome all Members elected to represent Welsh constituencies, particularly the 84% of those Members who sit on the Labour Benches. I also welcome the shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) ,… to the Front Bench—for Wales questions. Finally, I pay tribute to our fantastic Welsh Olympians and Paralympians, who have brought home a record medal haul to a very proud nation. I recently met the Energy Secretary and visited the energy cluster in Pembrokeshire with the Deputy Prime Minister. The Government have established Great British Energy to drive down bills, create jobs and deliver energy security. Its new partnership with the Crown Estate will boost new green technologies, such as floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea. That will supercharge the work already undertaken by the Welsh Government, which the Prime Minister saw at first hand in west Wales with the new First Minister.
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
NS
Nick Smith
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
GG
Gill German
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
BE
Bill Esterson
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
HT
Henry Tufnell
What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.
NS
Nick Smith
I support my right hon. Friend’s sentiments, and wish her well in her job. In advance of the statement, what can she say about jobs and investment in this crucial sector?
JS
Jo Stevens
I am delighted that seven Welsh tidal, solar and offshore wind projects were successful in securing contracts in the Government’s main scheme for supporting low-carbon electricity generation. Those projects will support the Government’s mission to deliver clean power by 2030, as well as creating high-quality green jobs…
JS
Jo Stevens
I congratulate my hon. Friend on winning her seat. The Government have a clear mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by investing in home-grown energy to grow the economy, create jobs, boost skills and strengthen our energy independence. In Wales, we have the resources and skills to be a leader in cutting-e…
JS
Jo Stevens
We believe that the new innovative partnership between Great British Energy and the Crown Estate will leverage up to £60 billion of private investment into the UK’s drive for energy independence. I am delighted that the Crown Estate has today published plans to bring an additional 20 GW to 30 GW of offshore wind to mar…
JS
Jo Stevens
I welcome my hon. Friend to his seat. I had the privilege of visiting the port of Milford Haven energy cluster in Pembrokeshire with him and the Deputy Prime Minister in August. I really value the critical role that the port plays in securing the UK’s energy supply, and I am proud that the region is pioneering new gree…
JS
Jo Stevens
I welcome the hon. Lady to her place. Our manifesto commitment to delivering new nuclear in places such as Wylfa still stands—we will do that. The Government have now completed the purchase of the Wylfa site, as she knows. We will end over a decade of inaction by the previous Government on nuclear power, as part of our…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his remarks. My colleague the Secretary of State for Business and Trade said immediately after the election that we do not intend to make any changes to existing freeport commitments. I am backing the delivery of the two freeports in Wales, and I am very pleased that, with the involvement…
Steel Industry11 Sep 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
Under my chairmanship, the transition board has moved from discussion to delivery. Last month, I announced £13.5 million for supply chain, skills and employability funds. I also announced our business and community pledge scheme, bringing together over 50 organisations in support of affected workers.
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
SW
Steve Witherden
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the steel industry in Wales.
JM
Jessica Morden
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the steel industry in Wales.
SW
Steve Witherden
I thank my right hon. Friend for beginning to deliver funds to support business confidence and provide a safety net for workers. Will she explain how that will support workers who are dealing with great uncertainty?
JM
Jessica Morden
I know that my right hon. Friend will serve Wales admirably in her new role. Llanwern steelworks in Newport is a key strategic site that manufactures world-class automotive steel and more, and it has so much potential. We all await the statement later, but can she outline what she has been doing, alongside the Departme…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JS
Jo Stevens
The two funds that have been announced are specifically for people in businesses and in the supply chain, because we know that they have already been affected by the uncertainty of the situation at Port Talbot. They will help people to retrain and reskill into new employment, and will help businesses to diversify and g…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Government absolutely understand the importance of Llanwern as a key manufacturing facility for steel products. We have worked with Tata Steel UK to ensure that Llanwern is clearly considered in plans for the future of steel in south Wales. My hon. Friend is a dedicated advocate for the workers at Llanwern, and I k…
JS
Jo Stevens
I do not recognise that characterisation of the deal on which the Business Secretary will make a statement later. He will make that statement to the House—I do not want to pre-empt it, because we are a party and a Government who will always come to the House first to make major announcements—but I am confident that he …
JS
Jo Stevens
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answer. We had the transition board in place for nearly 10 months under the last Government and not a single penny went out the door to businesses or workers affected. Within weeks of my taking over chairmanship of the transition board, £13.5 million has been released to help s…
JS
Jo Stevens
This Government were elected on a manifesto that stressed a partnership approach with local authorities and an intention to stabilise the funding system, moving away from wasteful competition. Those are the principles we will seek to apply as we think about the future of local growth funding. As with all Government dec…
JS
Jo Stevens
I congratulate my hon. Friend on her election as Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, and I look forward to engaging with her and her colleagues as they take on their important work. As I set out, we have released £13.5 million as the first tranche of funding from the transition board. That has changed the situation r…
Cross-border Train Services11 Sep 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
Last week, I met the Transport Secretary to discuss rail infrastructure and steps to improve cross-border connectivity. I also joined the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary, Ken Skates, to announce the joint Network Rail and Transport for Wales programme that will increase rail capacity by 40%, with 50% more timetabled services on the north Wales main… line.
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
SD
Shaun Davies
Whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Welsh Government on steps to improve cross-border train services.
SD
Shaun Davies
It a real delight to see my right hon. Friend in her place. The train line from Aberystwyth to Birmingham International via Telford is critical to the university, and to the economies and connectivity of mid Wales, Telford and wider Shropshire. What conversations has my right hon. Friend had with the Welsh Government, …
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llefarydd. I am sure the Secretary of State will join me in sending every sympathy to the friends and family of the late, great singer and comedian Dewi Pws. On-the-day cancellations on the north Wales to London lines stood at 15.4% in August. We consistently have the highest on-the-day cancellatio…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
Sadly, it seems that between the Welsh Government and Labour in government here in the UK, that service in north Wales is not a priority—we see that in the rate of on-the-day cancellations. The truth is that the railways are broken, and Labour’s plan fails to address the chronic underfunding that is the cause, particul…
JS
Jo Stevens
I agree with my hon. Friend that the Cambrian line provides an important connection to and from Aberystwyth University, and it plays a key role in supporting cross-border connectivity for the people of mid-Wales and beyond. In recent years, Network Rail has undertaken work to improve infrastructure on the Cambrian line…
JS
Jo Stevens
I thank the right hon. Lady for her question, and concur with her remarks. The Government are clear that the performance of Avanti West Coast has not been good enough. Many times in this Chamber, we have heard about the appalling service—too many cancellations and too many delays. This Government have required Avanti W…
JS
Jo Stevens
We cannot go back in time and change the way that project was commissioned, managed and classified by the previous Conservative Government. They need to accept responsibility for the chaos, delay and waste on their watch. What we can do, though, is work closely with our Senedd and local authority colleagues to develop …
Transport Infrastructure11 Sep 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
I was pleased to meet with the Transport Secretary last week to discuss our approach to rail in Wales. She is reviewing the previous Government’s transport infrastructure commitments and will report in the autumn. We will deliver rail improvements that will make the services more accountable to the people who use them through the Passenger… Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill, which completed its Commons stages last week, and Great British Railways, which was launched in shadow form earlier this month.
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
MP
Matthew Patrick
What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve transport infrastructure in Wales.
MP
Matthew Patrick
It is great to see my right hon. Friend in her place. Connections between my constituency of Wirral West and north Wales are many, they are deep, and they are valued on both sides of the border. Sadly, though, our transport connections are lagging behind. Could she please set out what conversations she is having with M…
JS
Jo Stevens
I welcome my hon. Friend to the House and congratulate him on his election. In my meeting with the Transport Secretary last week, we discussed a range of issues, including connections between Wales and Merseyside. I recognise the importance of cross-border travel for people across the region. The UK and Welsh Governmen…
NHS Waiting Lists11 Sep 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
We recognise that the NHS in Wales faces unique challenges, and we are committed to working closely with the Welsh Government to improve NHS waiting times. Our approach is grounded in the belief that public services, such as healthcare, should not just be fit for purpose today, but be robust and resilient for the future.
Hansard · 11 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
JM
Jerome Mayhew
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on NHS waiting lists.
JM
Jerome Mayhew
Treating cancer early is critical for survival rates. In England, the target is to have 85% of patients treated within 62 days. In Wales, that target is more generous; it is just 75%, yet it has never been achieved. The current rate is an appalling 56.7%, much worse than the equivalent figure in England. Why is it that…
JS
Jo Stevens
More people in Wales have been told that they do not have cancer than ever before, and that is good news. Performance increased against the 62-day target for treatment in June compared with the previous month, and over the past two years, the number of patients waiting longer than two years has reduced. Average waits f…
20 mph Speed Limit: Impact on Road Users8 May 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
If you will indulge me, Mr Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the 25th anniversary this week of Welsh devolution—delivered by a Labour Government. It has helped to nurture a confident, modern and outward-looking Wales, and Labour Members are proud of it. Not a single one of the hon. Members who have raised questions on… this issue lives in Wales, and the speed limit is not blanket, as the Secretary of State well knows. It is a bit like the Conservative councillor in Sunderland who set up anti-20 mph Facebook groups while campaigning for the limit in his own area. Meanwhile, a mother whose 11-year-old son was hit by a car near his school in Flintshire said that the 20 mph speed limit likely saved his life. Does the Secretary of State agree that her intervention represents an important endorsement of the Welsh Labour Government’s policy to protect lives, especially children’s lives?
Hansard · 8 May 2024 · parliament.uk
AR
Andrew Rosindell
What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the 20 mph speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets in Wales on road users.
BB
Bob Blackman
What recent discussions he has had with the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport on the impact of the 20 mph speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets in Wales on road users.
LE
Luke Evans
What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the impact of the 20 mph speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets in Wales on road users.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Mr Rosindell is not here, but will the Secretary of State answer his question, as it is the lead?
DD
David Davies
Before I do so, Mr Speaker, may I fully support your ruling and send my deepest condolences to the relatives of all those who have died in prison? May I make it absolutely clear that I, Conservative MPs, Senedd Members and councillors are supportive of a 20 mph speed limit in certain areas, such as outside schools, hos…
JS
Jo Stevens
It is rich of Government Members to chunter about donations. How much of Mr Frank Hester’s millions is bankrolling the Conservatives’ general election campaign? This is a man who said that a black woman MP in this House “should be shot”. On roads, does the Secretary of State agree with his own association deputy chairm…
Port Talbot Steelworks30 Apr 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on Tata ending the statutory consultation on redundancies at Port Talbot steelworks.
Hansard · 30 Apr 2024 · parliament.uk
DD
David Davies
On 25 April Tata announced its strategic direction to proceed with its Port Talbot transformation, following the launch of the formal national consultation with the unions on 6 February . Technically, the consultation has not concluded at national or local level. The statutory consultation remains under way, and I unde…
DD
David Davies
Let me take the hon. Lady’s points one by one. First, the £500 million investment will save 3,000 jobs. We are not paying money to throw people out of work; we do not want to see anyone thrown out of work. Tata has made a decision to close blast furnaces based on the losses it is making. When it came to us, we said, “W…
JR
John Redwood
When will the Government do something about the very high energy prices in this country, which have been made high by regulations and taxes? Does my right hon. Friend not accept that any kind of steelmaking will be extremely difficult if we have uncompetitive energy, and is it not wrong to import such materials, becaus…
DD
David Davies
We have looked carefully at the losses that Tata is making, which have come about partly because of the age of the infrastructure. In fact, Tata has had to close down the furnaces at the Morfa coke ovens within the last few weeks. The UK Government are fully cognisant of the cost of energy at the moment, which is why T…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson.
JS
Jo Stevens
Last Thursday’s news was a gut punch for workers in Port Talbot, with economic consequences that could reverberate across south Wales for decades. Last month, I met workers at the plant. The sense of the threat to nearly 3,000 people’s livelihoods was all-consuming. The wider supply chain in Llanwern, Shotton and Trost…
Cost of Living13 Mar 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
The impact of the Conservatives’ cost of living crisis on people in north Wales has been exacerbated by their dither and delay on new nuclear at Wylfa. The previous project, which Ministers abandoned in 2019, could have been 50% completed by now, and would have created up to 8,500 jobs. Some 900 permanent jobs would… also be well on the way, adding a total of almost £400 million a year to the local economy in wages. What does the Secretary of State say to people across north Wales who are still looking for good jobs because of his Government’s failures?
Hansard · 13 Mar 2024 · parliament.uk
TD
Tan Dhesi
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the cost of living in Wales.
BL
Ben Lake
What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on supporting rural areas in Wales with the cost of living.
RT
Richard Thomson
What recent assessment he has made of the impact of increases in the cost of living on people in Wales.
DD
David Davies
The UK Government fully recognise the challenges posed by cost of living pressures as a result of the covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which is why we have provided £96 billion since 2022 to support households and individuals across the United Kingdom —an average of about £3,400 per household.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Member for Slough (Mr Dhesi) .
JS
Jo Stevens
It is a stark admission of the Government’s failure that the Secretary of State boasts, after 14 years in government and doing absolutely nothing for five years, of acquiring a site at Wylfa. His Government’s inaction has cost people money, and still does. In nine years, all but one of our current reactors will be offl…
Welsh Affairs29 Feb 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
May I suggest, very respectfully, that rather than winding up the rhetoric, the right hon. Gentleman should encourage his constituents to respond to the consultation? There is still a whole week to go.
Hansard · 29 Feb 2024 · parliament.uk
SC
Stephen Crabb
I beg to move, That this House has considered Welsh affairs. It is good to see you back in the Chair for the annual debate on Welsh affairs, Mr Deputy Speaker. We call it the St David’s day debate, although this year it falls just prior to St David’s day. I wish all Members a very happy St David’s day for tomorrow—Dydd…
CH
Carolyn Harris
Purely for the record, and as a fellow of Gower College Swansea, can I ask the right hon. Gentleman to include the full title for Hansard?
SC
Stephen Crabb
Gower College Swansea—the hon. Lady has made her point with her usual force and eloquence. I think as well of the meeting we had with apprentices at the magnificent Airbus factory in Broughton. The Airbus apprenticeship scheme must be the most impressive, and probably the most competitively applied for apprenticeship, …
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
The right hon. Member is giving a really interesting introduction. I am glad that he mentioned the work done by prison staff, because their work is so critical. He must agree that we have an anomaly in the justice system in Wales whereby so many of the critical support services for prisoners coming out of prison are ru…
NE
Nigel Evans
Order. Before Mr Crabb comes back in with a response, I will let people know that there will be an unofficial five-minute limit. I also very much take on board what Mr Crabb had to say about ensuring a decent amount of time to discuss Welsh affairs in future.
JS
Jo Stevens
It is good to see you in the Chair again for this annual debate, Mr Deputy Speaker. I also thank the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, the right hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Stephen Crabb) for securing the debate, and I gently echo his sentiments about the time we have for this debate today. I thank the B…
JS
Jo Stevens
The right hon. Lady has made several contributions, so I will carry on, if she does not mind. We are committed to reinforcing the status of the Senedd, strengthening intergovernmental working and pushing power out of Westminster and into the hands of our communities. Wales is brimming with potential. Yesterday, pupils …
JS
Jo Stevens
Can I correct the right hon. Gentleman? He keeps repeating this ban on all road building, which he knows is not correct. If hon. Members on the Government Benches want to complain about 20 mph zones, they might want to look at their own Department for Transport, which promotes them, and the Tory-run councils that have …
Energy Mix31 Jan 2024
JS
Jo Stevens
On the issue of the energy mix, the Tata workers I met last week know that the virgin steel they make is vital to supporting our renewable energy aspirations, such as offshore wind in the Celtic sea, so the loss of 3,000 jobs is a kick in the teeth for our proud and skilled Welsh… steelworkers. It will devastate local economies and the sovereign steelmaking capacity that would build the wind turbines we need, yet the Business Secretary told us at the weekend: “It’s not about the job losses”. Does the Secretary of State agree with her comments?
Hansard · 31 Jan 2024 · parliament.uk
SD
Stephen Doughty
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of the energy mix in Wales.
AM
Anna McMorrin
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of the energy mix in Wales.
FJ
Fay Jones
That was lively, Mr Speaker. The UK has a secure and diverse energy system, and Wales continues to play a key role. The UK Government are going further to ensure our energy security by supporting our oil and gas industry, and investing to scale up our renewable energy production, such as floating offshore wind in the C…
SD
Stephen Doughty
Many of my constituents make the long journey round to work at Hinkley, yet we have had this Government in power for 14 years and we have seen no new nuclear delivered in Wales, despite our proud history of generation, with its significant opportunities to lower energy bills, deliver high-quality jobs and reduce carbon…
FJ
Fay Jones
I very much welcome the hon. Gentleman mentioning nuclear. I seem to recall that, when his party was in power, Labour did next to nothing to advance the cause of nuclear energy in this country. It gives me ample opportunity to pay tribute to the work of my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie) , who ha…
JS
Jo Stevens
The Minister boasts about the transition board, but that only exists because of the Government’s failure to protect jobs and vital industries. Each year, Port Talbot provides enough virgin steel to deliver the UK’s 2030 wind targets by itself. Can she tell the House where that steel will come from when her Government’s…
Inflation and Public Spending6 Dec 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
I welcome the hon. Lady to her role and thank her for her tribute to Baroness Kinnock and to Allan Rogers. Glenys Kinnock was an inspiration to our Labour movement, to her many friends and colleagues around the world, but most of all to her family. As the Kinnock family grieve, we send them our… love and deepest sympathy. On public spending in Wales, the Prime Minister promised, when abandoning HS2, that the north Wales main line would be electrified, at a cost of £1 billion. In the past eight years, construction costs have increased by 7% a year, because of the Government’s economic mismanagement. Will the Minister confirm that the last time any cost assessment was done on electrification was in 2015 and that the scheme will now cost between £1.5 billion and £1.8 billion?
Hansard · 6 Dec 2023 · parliament.uk
BW
Beth Winter
What assessment he has made of the impact of inflation on public spending in Wales.
FJ
Fay Jones
May I say how sorry I was to learn of the death of Baroness Kinnock? I met her when I was an intern in the European Parliament many years ago, and I have never forgotten how fearless, remarkable and determined she was. I send my deepest condolences to the hon. Member for Aberavon (Stephen Kinnock) and the wider Welsh L…
BW
Beth Winter
Tory inflation and austerity mean that the Welsh budget is worth £900 million less than it was when it was set, and the autumn statement consequentials do not make up for that. The Institute of Welsh Affairs has called the autumn statement “a return to austerity” with “tax cuts at the cost of cuts to public service del…
FJ
Fay Jones
The House will not be surprised to learn that I completely disagree with the hon. Lady’s assessment. It is not the amount of money the Welsh Government are receiving but the way in which they are mismanaging public services that is the problem. The 2021 spending review delivered the Welsh Government a record settlement…
FJ
Fay Jones
I join the hon. Lady in her comments about the Kinnock family. It is important to recognise that this Government are the first in many decades to commit to that project. I am sorry that she appears to agree with her colleagues in the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff Bay, who seem to say that this is not a priority; C…
JS
Jo Stevens
If it is such a priority, why has nothing been done since 2015, when the cost assessment was undertaken? The hon. Lady’s Government promised to electrify the south Wales main line, but they did not do so. They promised to improve journey times and connections between south Wales and London, but they did not do that eit…
Crime Prevention18 Oct 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
It is not just antisocial behaviour that is wreaking havoc across Wales. Shoplifting in Wales is also soaring, and in the year to March 2023 it was up by 31%. Why will the Secretary of State’s Government not adopt Labour’s plan to scrap the minimum £200-worth of stolen goods rule, which was introduced by his… Government in 2014 and allows gangs of shoplifters to escape punishment and puts shop workers at risk?
Hansard · 18 Oct 2023 · parliament.uk
AM
Anna McMorrin
What steps his Department is taking to help prevent crime in Wales.
DD
David Davies
The Government are committed to investing in our police to drive down crime across Wales. That includes an extra 1,127 police officers for Welsh forces under the police uplift programme. Approximately £9 million has been allocated to Welsh forces through the safer streets fund, targeting neighbourhood crime, violence a…
AM
Anna McMorrin
Antisocial behaviour has a devastating impact on communities across Wales and in Cardiff North. My constituent, Sarah, suffered a miscarriage due to the stress of repeated antisocial behaviour. She was not entitled to any support, because this Government consider those who suffer from antisocial behaviour to be second-…
DD
David Davies
I assure the hon. Lady that victims of antisocial behaviour are as much victims of crime as anyone else. I absolutely stand with victims of antisocial behaviour; it is a matter that we take very seriously indeed. I have not seen the amendment tabled by the hon. Lady, but she must be aware that this Government have brou…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee.
JS
Jo Stevens
The Secretary of State knows that the prison estate across Wales is not just full, but that overcrowding is significantly above safe limits. With his Government having to commandeer police cells, with judges being told to jail fewer people, and with criminals—including those convicted of assault—being released early on…
Economic Growth5 Jul 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
On the 75th anniversary of our NHS, created by Welsh founder and Labour Minister Nye Bevan, may I thank, on behalf of Labour Members, all our NHS staff in Wales, past and present, for their dedication and public service? Last week, the Department for Business and Trade published its report on foreign direct investment in… Wales. Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the Welsh Labour Government’s Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, on his success in delivering economic growth through attracting an additional 3,000 jobs to Wales in the past year?
Hansard · 5 Jul 2023 · parliament.uk
SC
Stephen Crabb
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of economic growth in Wales.
DD
David Davies
This Government have put in place steps to deliver growth and to level up across the whole of the United Kingdom. The IMF now predicts that cumulative UK growth over the 2022-24 period will be higher than that in Germany and Japan, and the Bank of England made one of the biggest upward revisions to its growth forecast …
SC
Stephen Crabb
But the most recent data is not pretty reading as far as the Welsh economy is concerned. The Welsh economy still has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, unlike in England, and unemployment in Wales is going up, unlike elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Does my right hon. Friend share my concern about what is going on in…
DD
David Davies
My right hon. Friend is correct. It is deeply disappointing that growth in Wales is now below pre-pandemic levels, whereas in England it is above pre-pandemic levels. The Welsh Labour Government need to ask themselves some difficult questions and perhaps stop concentrating on nanny state policies, such as the ban on me…
CE
Chris Elmore
The Secretary of State will be aware of the announcement last week that has shocked the Bridgend communities about Zimmer Biomet and the suggestion of losing more than 550 jobs. I, along with my Senedd colleagues, have met the Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething. May I ask the Secretary of State to do all he can to make …
JS
Jo Stevens
I am pleased to hear the Secretary of State’s response. I am sure we can both agree that we want strong economic growth across Wales and the rest of the UK. The last Labour Government gave the go-ahead for new nuclear sites in 2009. Nearly a decade on, none is up and running, and it is now two years since Hitachi pulle…
Mortgage Interest Rates24 May 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
Since the Secretary of State’s Government’s mini-budget, 43,000 Welsh households have paid an extra £20.3 million in mortgage payments. That is a £20 million Tory mortgage premium in just seven months. His Government’s economic recklessness continues to cause misery for people across Wales, so will he take the opportunity to apologise to them?
Hansard · 24 May 2023 · parliament.uk
LT
Liz Twist
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of changes in the level of mortgage interest rates on homeowners in Wales.
DD
David Davies
I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Interest rates are rising across the world as countries manage rising prices due to the pandemic and Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. However, I am very pleased to see that the UK average two and five-year fixed mortgage rates have declined in…
LT
Liz Twist
The Chancellor failed to bring in a proper windfall tax in the Budget in March. Does the Secretary of State agree that there are still huge holes in that levy, which mean that billions of pounds that could be used to help Welsh households with the cost of living are being ignored?
DD
David Davies
The Chancellor and this Conservative Government have brought in windfall taxes on energy companies taking oil and gas out of the North sea. Energy companies are paying around three times more in taxation than other companies. I hope the hon. Lady will be supportive of the companies that want to take more oil and gas ou…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Cost of Living19 Apr 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
Inflation is still over 10%, and last month the Chancellor imposed a stealth tax by freezing personal allowances. Today, as we have heard, the Office for National Statistics has confirmed that food prices have risen at their fastest rate for 45 years. How does the Secretary of State expect Welsh households to afford even the… most basic supermarket essentials when those have increased by almost 25% this year?
Hansard · 19 Apr 2023 · parliament.uk
MW
Mick Whitley
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the cost of living in Wales.
DD
David Davies
I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of topics. The Government are providing total support of more than £94 billion across the UK to help households and individuals with the cost of living, at an average of more than £3,300 a household. That includes extending energy support by keeping the ener…
MW
Mick Whitley
Last month, we learned that household incomes are falling at the fastest rate since records began, forcing the people of Wales to work even harder for less in return, but Britain’s leading food retailer has gouged more than £3 billion in profits from its customers over the past two years alone. With food inflation now …
DD
David Davies
The Government are serious about dealing with the cost of living crisis, and that is why I am pleased that inflation is shown to be continuing to fall at the moment. This Government are on track to reach our target of halving inflation over the next year. This Government have always supported the most vulnerable in soc…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Select Committee.
JS
Jo Stevens
The Secretary of State mentioned inflation earlier, but of course falling inflation does not mean that prices are falling—just that the rate of the price rises is slowing. If Cabinet Ministers cannot get a grip on basics like that, it is no wonder the economy is in such a mess. Is it not the reality that his Government…
Welsh Affairs2 Mar 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
I start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) , the deputy leader of Welsh Labour, for securing this debate, the Backbench Business Committee for granting it and all colleagues present for their contributions to a wide-ranging debate on Welsh affairs. A year ago, when we last held this debate,… we did so in the shadow of Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, which was just beginning. Like then, I know that today the thoughts of people across Wales, and of Members across this House, remain with the people of Ukraine. As a nation of sanctuary, we in Wales have a proud history of welcoming those fleeing conflict and persecution. In the past year, more than 3,000 people fleeing Putin’s barbaric and illegal invasion have found sanctuary through the Welsh Government’s super-sponsor scheme. I met some of them together with my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty) , who is no longer in his place, and the Leader of the Opposition in Cardiff last week, and it was a real privilege to spend time with them. I am sure that Members across the House will join me in wishing all our Ukrainian friends a happy first St David’s Day in Wales, and in thanking everyone who has supported them. We have heard some wide-ranging and heartfelt contributions from Members. My hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East has been such a superb champion on behalf of the 13 million women across the United Kingdom who are going through the menopause. In her own unique way, in a wide-ranging speech about all the things that she has done and which we are so proud of, she has really shown that her work on menopause means that menopause matters—it really does. The Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, the right hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Stephen Crabb) , talked about this year’s Wales Week in London being bigger, better and louder than ever. It certainly was last night in the Guildhall, which was a really enjoyable occasion. I was th
Hansard · 2 Mar 2023 · parliament.uk
NE
Nigel Evans
Before I call Carolyn Harris, may I just say that I hope everybody had a superb Saint David’s Day yesterday? I certainly did; it was wonderful to see the young pupils of Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni singing outside No. 10 Downing Street, which was brilliant. I am looking forward later today to going to the American ambassador…
CH
Carolyn Harris
I beg to move, That this House has considered Welsh affairs. Diolch, Mr Deputy Speaker—thank you. Can I start by saying what an honour it is not just to be opening this Welsh affairs debate in celebration of Saint David’s Day, but indeed to be Welsh? I take great pride in standing up for our little corner of the world,…
SD
Stephen Doughty
My hon. Friend is making a beautiful and inspiring speech, and I am in awe of her work, particularly with the Everyone Deserves campaign. Does she agree that a particularly wonderful thing about Wales is not only the help in communities for the disadvantaged—I think of the Moorland centre in Splott in my constituency, …
CH
Carolyn Harris
Yes, and what makes us unique is that not only do we want to help everyone but we sing while we are doing it. Last year has been tough for many across Wales. Few will have escaped without feeling the pinch of rising prices in our shops, rocketing fuel bills and the daily struggle to keep in control of family finances. …
NE
Nigel Evans
Diolch yn fawr and congratulations on all your charitable work, Carolyn. Absolutely superb.
Digital Connectivity: Rural Wales1 Mar 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
Happy St David’s Day, Mr Speaker. I thank London Welsh School for such a lovely flag-raising ceremony this morning. On the subject of digital connectivity, EU structural funds have helped our universities to deliver research, innovation and skills development across areas that the Minister’s Government consider a priority, including digital transformation. Many of these projects… now face a cliff-edge as EU structural funds finish, with 60 projects in Wales due to end this year, putting around 1,000 skilled jobs at risk. What conversations has he and the Secretary of State had with Cabinet colleagues to protect those valuable skilled jobs?
Hansard · 1 Mar 2023 · parliament.uk
BL
Ben Lake
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving digital connectivity in rural Wales.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Minister. Happy St David’s Day.
JD
James Davies
Diolch yn fawr, Mr Llefarydd, and a happy St David’s Day—dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus. The Government are committed to improving digital connectivity as demonstrated by our commitment to Project Gigabit, the shared rural network and, most recently, the new very hard-to-reach pilots, two of which are located in Wales.
BL
Ben Lake
Ofcom reports that some 30,000 premises across the UK have no access to decent broadband or to a decent 4G signal, including rural areas of Ceredigion, such as Lledrod, Pennant, Talgarreg, Cribyn, Sarnau, Abermeurig and Coed-y-bryn to name but a few. Will the Minister make representations to colleagues in the Departmen…
JD
James Davies
The hon. Member is right to raise that issue. Let me reiterate that we have Project Gigabit, which is an ambitious £5 billion project to reach the hardest-to-reach areas outside of the commercial scope, and also the Alpha trials using satellites, two of which are in Snowdonia National Park. There are, as he will be awa…
JS
Jo Stevens
Going back to the subject of gigabit, the Government’s Project Gigabit boasts that it will deliver lightning-fast reliable broadband to every corner of the UK, but the project update that was published this week by the Minister’s Government shows that Wales has the lowest coverage of any of the home nations—just 57% co…
Cost of Living Crisis18 Jan 2023
JS
Jo Stevens
This month has seen dreadful news for steel businesses and steelworkers in Wales. Steel is an energy-intensive industry, and its operating costs during the cost of living crisis have rocketed. Thirteen years of Conservative Governments have seen decline, offshored jobs and damaged communities. Steel is integral to a modern economy. Labour will put Welsh and… UK steel at the heart of our wider industrial policy, building wind turbines, railways and investing in carbon capture and storage and in hydrogen infrastructure. Other than creating a cost of living crisis, what is the Government’s plan for our steel industry and for steelworkers’ jobs?
Hansard · 18 Jan 2023 · parliament.uk
CS
Chris Stephens
What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on (a) households and (b) businesses in Wales.
AM
Anna McMorrin
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of the cost of living crisis on households in Wales.
BL
Ben Lake
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of rising costs on (a) businesses and (b) households in Wales.
DD
David Davies
I understand that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living, which is why we have taken decisive action to support households and businesses across the UK, while remaining fiscally responsible. That support includes a £26 billion package for the next financial year, which will be targeted at protecting …
CS
Chris Stephens
Almost half of adults UK-wide say the cost of living crisis is harming their mental health, and that rises to 61% of Welsh adults. Devolved initiatives such as the fuel support scheme in Wales help, but inflation and UK Government cuts put such schemes in jeopardy. How does the Secretary of State justify his Government…
JS
Jo Stevens
Steelworkers need a Government on their side. The industry needs a partner that can provide stability, not sticking plasters. Floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea is a real opportunity for our steel industry and the wider supply chain in Wales. It would also help to mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis …
