The Liberal Democrat has seen a tabled amendment to the Railways Bill rejected by the Westminster government
The North Wales Mainline.(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
The UK Government has again rejected the devolving of rail to Wales, despite First Minister Eluned Morgan making a renewed call for it to form part of a “new chapter for devolution.”
While not specifying a time frame the First Minister, in a keynote speech last week, called for a full devolution of rail, underpinned by a fair block grant adjustment from the Westminster government. She also called for the devolution of the Crown Estate, policing and youth justice.
With rail projects being deemed England and Wales as a result any increase in Department of Transport spending, which is mainly driven by rail enhancement projects, Wales’ comparable figure – which sets the level of the Barnett consequential to the Welsh Government – is only 33.5%, while for Scotland and Northern Ireland it is close to 100% (95.6%).
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With £40bn of rail projects identified in England up to 2040, which include further investment in high speed two from London to Birmingham, the low comparable figure will see Wales, over the long-term, losing out on billions of pounds, compared to the far more favourable comparable figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Liberal Democrats have called on the UK Government, through the new Railways Bill that will create publicly-owned Great British Railways (GBR) that will oversee both rail infrastructure and train services as existing contracts run by train operating companies expire – to devolve rail to Wales within two years.
The rejected amendment clause was tabled by Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson and MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick.
During the committee debate, Under-Secretary of State for Transport Keir Mather, made clear that the UK Government were opposed support devolving rail powers to Wales through the legislation.
He told MPs: “The bill as drafted has the full support of the Welsh Government and preserves the existing devolution settlement. It already enhances joint working, improves accountability and safeguards the benefits of an integrated cross border railway.
“The approach in the bill will be supported by the memorandum of understanding between UK and Welsh ministers which will set out arrangements for co-operation on matters such as cross border services and infrastructure interfaces. This provides a clear and structured basis for engagement with Welsh Ministers without requiring the statutory transfer of reserved rail functions or creating additional legislative complexity and uncertainty.
“The new clause would require a separate statement on funding for the Welsh consolidated fund. That is not necessary, as information on funding for Wales is already published through established mechanisms, such as the Treasury’s fiscal documents on spending reviews and block grant transparency publications, which provide clear and routine transparency without creating a rail specific statutory process.”
Mr Chadwick said: “Labour Ministers have now put it on the record that they do not support devolving rail to Wales. That tells you everything you need to know about how seriously Labour takes devolution when it actually matters.
“The First Minister speaks about a ‘new era of devolution’, but she can’t even get her own MPs to back her. Everything outlined in her speech is empty rhetoric unless that changes.
“Scotland already has these powers. Wales does not. Until Labour matches words with action, Wales will continue to be short-changed by billions of pounds, depriving communities of much-needed transport investment.”
The Welsh Government was asked whether its support for the bill as it stands, was at odds with the First Minister’s latest call for rail devolution.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “We have been working closely with the UK Government in the development of the Railways Bill which will modernise and improve rail services, delivering a more integrated, accountable, and passenger-focused railway.
“The devolution of rail services is a process, and we believe there are a number of key issues to be addressed before full devolution is sought. However, the introduction of GBR marks a significant step forward in our collaborative approach to rail reform.”
Professor Mark Barry of Cardiff University, who has submitted evidence on the legislation, said: “The bill is in reality limited to requiring the UK Government and DfT ministers to consult Wales (we have had 30 years of that to little effect). However, without substantive statutory underpinning, this is just empty and leaves Wales short changed and without sufficient levers to fund and implement its own transport policy.
“Whereas Scottish ministers can prepare their own version of a long term rail strategy (LTRS) and produce a statutory high level output (HLOS) specification for Network Rail (as they have since rail powers were devolved to Scotland in 2005), Welsh ministers can ‘have a chat’ with the London Transport Minister to request he/she considers Wales’s requirements in an “England and Wales” LTRS and HLOS.
“Despite what Mr Mather claims there is formal mechanism to see what the level of enhancements (rail) in Wales are compared to the rest of the UK.”
Over the last decade Prof Barry has consistently called for rail to be devolved to Wales with a fair funding formula that also addresses years of underinvestment in the Welsh rail network.
