Ken Skates
Fflint Wrecsam · Welsh Labour · Wales
“I thank the Member for his question. He makes a really important point that there has to be cross-border planning in terms of services. We've got the regional transport plan being developed for south-west Wales, and the regional transport plan being developed for south-east Wales, but there's a critical role that's being played by Transpo…”
“Well, again, can I thank the Member for his question? Another opportunity to just outline the success that we are seeing here in Wales where we have control over services, and it relates to the new trains.”
“The UK Government, I believe, already offers support—financial support—for people looking to have an EV charger installed at home, but our focus is very much on how we can adapt those most intensely urban areas, particularly streets with no off-road parking, for the arrival of electric vehicles on a mass scale, particularly with the phase…”
“Can I thank Russell George for his question and the opportunity to share with Members the latest information regarding the deployment of new trains on the Cambrian line? Brand-new trains are of course operating in many areas across Wales and, next year, we will see them introduced onto the Cambrian line.”
“Well, there are various questions that are being raised by the Member. I am going to repeat again, though, the headline fact that we have invested £250 million in bus services since COVID.”
“Well, can I thank Altaf Hussain for his question? He makes a crucially important point that bus travel has to be affordable for the travelling public.”
The complete record
Every one of 66 lines we hold for Ken Skates, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 2.
“In terms of the enduring importance of remembrance, this year the Welsh Government provided funding for renovation and painting of the memorial in Pilckem ridge, Langemark. And we're also providing ongoing funding to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for maintenance and renovation of the memorials at Langemark, Gheluvelt, St. Jean-les-Ypres and Mametz wood. The armed forces covenant acknowledges the unique nature, the service and sacrifice of service life for those who serve and their families, while serving, and also as veterans. And the covenant is also there for the bereaved. It places a legal duty on local authorities, health boards and schools to have due regard for the armed forces community. It is an enduring duty, and one which the Welsh Government is committed to supporting.”
“The Deputy First Minister and Senedd Members recently attended the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Dutch town of 's-Hertogenbosch by the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. And we also remember the breadth of backgrounds of those who served. My Cabinet colleague Jane Hutt attended the annual black, Asian and minority ethnic remembrance in Cardiff on Saturday, with Windrush and Butetown elders speaking movingly for their communities. The second world war generation has, sadly, largely passed away. We have a younger generation of veterans for whom recent conflicts, including Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Gulf, the Balkans, Kosovo and Afghanistan, remain fresh and difficult memories.”
“It's important that we take this opportunity to recognise the enduring importance of the remembrance period to families and communities in Wales. We must also pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of individuals from across Wales who now serve or have served in our armed forces, and acknowledge the tireless work of organisations, individuals and volunteers who support our armed forces community and veterans across Wales. In terms of the enduring importance of remembrance to families and communities across Wales, each year there are significant anniversaries to mark. In June, we marked the eightieth anniversary of D-day, and our First Minister attended the UK commemoration at the British memorial in Normandy. D-day marked the start of a long campaign to liberate north-west Europe.”
“Llywydd, thank you. This debate is an annual opportunity for Members across the Senedd to make their voices heard as we remember all those who died or have been injured in the line of duty in defence of the United Kingdom. I know this is a time of personal reflection, including for Senedd Members and Commission staff who've served themselves or who have family members who have or are serving in the armed forces around the world today. And this debate comes at a time when, internationally, we see the tragedy and loss caused by warfare. This includes the devastating impact on innocent civilians caught up in conflicts. This has been a busy time for Senedd Members and communities across Wales, who have come together, as they do each year, to remember.”
“Can I thank Natasha for her questions? I repeat that it's very dangerous to infer from the interim report the ultimate cause of the incident. Yes, those pipes were blocked, but we do not know why they were blocked, and I will not be drawn into speculating over the reason why that was the case. I can guarantee that the trains, as part of Transport for Wales's fleet, are being maintained in accordance with the requirements that are laid out for their safe operation, and enhanced checks are taking place. And as I mentioned earlier, I will keep Members updated when I receive a response from both the CEO of Transport for Wales and the CEO of Network Rail.”
“Can I thank the Member for his question? He's absolutely right: none of us in the Senedd are experts in rail accident, and we need to leave this work to the experts, to the bureau that has been invited in to make sure that we can ascertain exactly what happened. I think it's important that we recognise that the sanding systems are standard technology, and that there is a standard that is applied in terms of how and when they are maintained. The rail investigation bureau will be, I'm in no doubt, carrying out all of the relevant investigations regarding the maintenance standards for those trains, and will ensure that they were complied with. But it would be wrong for me to speculate, again, as I stress, it would be wrong for me to speculate over the cause of why those hose pipes were blocked on that day of the incident.”
“In terms of the sanders, these are fitted to trains as standard technology, to ensure that adhesion between the rail line and the wheels can be maximised when the lines are slippery. Now, the new class 197 trains, which the Member has referred to, will be coming into service in the summer of 2025—next summer. But, as I say, we need to give time to the investigators, those experts, who are carrying out very extensive work, and ensure that the lessons that we learn are based on the evidence that they are able to ascertain.”
“I've been asking them to provide me with an update on what they are doing in terms of advanced checks to ensure that the network and our trains that travel across our lines are as safe as they can possibly be. I will, of course, Dirprwy Lywydd, provide an update as soon as I receive a response from the chief executives. I've also met with the chief executive of Transport for Wales. Quite obviously, the incident was the primary reason for that meeting and I was assured that Transport for Wales, along with trade unions, are working very closely with Network Rail and the incident investigators to ensure that, where lessons can be learnt, they can be implemented as soon as possible. But I think it would be inappropriate to speculate over the cause of the incident.”
“I'd like to thank the Member for his valuable comments about, first of all, rail safety and how rare, thankfully, incidents of this type are on the UK railway network. The UK has the safest railway network in the whole of Europe. However, incidents such as these are dreadful when they occur and it's vitally important that we give the experts—those rail investigation experts—the time that they require to assess fully what might have gone wrong and what lessons can be learned. And it would be inappropriate for me to speculate over the cause of the incident. The report that was published is an interim report and provides no further detail than that which the Members have already seen. However, I have written to both the chief executive of Transport for Wales and also the chief executive of Network Rail.”
“Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Safety is always the main priority for Transport for Wales and Network Rail. They’ve carried out enhanced checks to both the trains and the railway line itself to enable the reopening of the Cambrian line, and I’m grateful to their staff who have worked tirelessly since the incident to resume services.”
“In regards to some of the points that Mike Hedges kindly made regarding the process that we followed, the UK Government, as I've mentioned, is moving at great pace, and so tabling a statement instead of a supplementary LCM has enabled us to provide as much time as possible for Members to have their say on this before it returns to the Report Stage at the House of Lords tomorrow. Arguably, a supplementary LCM was not needed either, because of the nil effect in terms of the practical effects and the legal effects, and that's the reason why I've brought forward the statement in the form of a written statement and why we are discussing this today, and I do hope that Members will give it support.”
“We will have gone from, in 2018, having one of the oldest fleets of trains, to, next year, having one of the newest fleets of trains, because of the £800 million investment that we've made available. We'll go from having 270 trains in 2018 to more than 480 trains next year. Those are the benefits of public ownership. Now, I think Adam Price and Alun Davies conveyed really important points about investment and historic underinvestment in rail infrastructure. But I am delighted, and I know that Alun Davies will be aware of this already, because he will have been keenly reading the UK Labour manifesto, that there will be, as part of Great British Railways, a Wales business unit that will give us control over expenditure, because there will be a dedicated enhancements rail fund, and that surely must be welcomed across the Chamber.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. I'm just going to deal briefly with the question of whether public or private ownership is most desirable for the rail network by saying that for decades we've had a disjointed system in place, where you have multiple private operators and then you have Network Rail in charge of the infrastructure. We desperately need integration of trains and tracks, and for that integration to come under full public control. And if we wish to look at the contrast between public ownership and private sector operators, let's take Wales as an example. Here, Transport for Wales is the most reliable of the four operators in Wales, with the other three, privately-led, behind TfW in terms of reliability and punctuality. Now, if you want to know another reason why public ownership is best, just look at the rolling stock.”
“We hope to ensure that Great Western Railway, Avanti and CrossCountry will eventually all be returned to the public sector by the Secretary of State for Transport. And given the importance of these services for the Welsh economy and connectivity, we will work with the UK Government to ensure the forthcoming rail reform Bill provides a role for Welsh Government and the Senedd in holding these crucial services to account. When I met with the new UK rail Minister, Lord Hendy, over the summer, we committed to working in partnership to deliver a better railway for Wales. I also met with the Secretary of State for Transport earlier today to further discussions. In the meantime, the public ownership Bill will mark an important step in the devolution of railways, securing the position of TfW Rail and delivering for passengers.”
“We’ve long argued that the railway is a fundamental public service, and that its rightful place is in the public sector rather than in the hands of investors and the private sector. Through Transport for Wales, we are already demonstrating the benefits of a publicly owned rail operator that is solely focused on delivering for people, businesses and the communities that it serves. This Bill will enable Welsh Ministers to secure the position of Transport for Wales as a public sector operator of our Wales and borders franchise. This will enable us to maximise the benefits of integrating rail with other forms of public transport, particularly buses through the forthcoming bus Bill. Other operators in Wales who provide crucial cross-border services under UK Government contracts will also be affected by the Bill.”
“Diolch yn fawr iawn. Before I begin, I’d like to note that the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has produced today an interim report into the incident on the Cambrian line on 21 October, and I thank them and all involved for their hard work. The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill was introduced by the UK Government in July, just weeks after the general election, and it’s moved at pace through the UK Parliament so that Labour Governments in Wales and Westminster can get on with delivering for passengers on our railways. This legislative change immediately delivers on one of the Welsh Government’s long-standing priorities for railways—to call time on private sector franchises and bring rail services back into the public realm.”