New figures ‘prove the Tories underfunded Wales on rail infrastructure’

Martin Shipton

Up-to-date figures released by a Labour Transport Minister prove conclusively that Wales was underfunded in terms of rail infrastructure by the previous Tory government, according to former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain.

Former Neath MP Lord Hain asked Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill what percentage of funding for rail infrastructure spending was allocated to Wales by the Treasury from 2011–12 – the first year of the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition – until 2023-24, the last full year of the Conservative government before Labour’s general election victory in July 2024.

Rail infrastructure

Lord Hendy responded: “The UK Government is responsible for rail infrastructure across England and Wales. Decisions on investment in rail infrastructure are taken to ensure that the railways are funded to operate safely and efficiently and in line with the strategic goals of the government.

“From 2011/12 until 2023/24, the population of Wales represented, on average, 5.26% of the total population in England and Wales. For the same period, an average of 5.03% of the total investment on the conventional rail network in England and Wales (i.e. excluding HS2) was spent on rail infrastructure in Wales.

Yearly figures show that in 2011-12, Wales’ proportion of the total population of England and Wales was 5.43% while the proportion of rail infrastructure spending in Wales was 3.70%.

Comparable figures in later years were:

2012-13: 5.39% – 3.76%;

2013-14 5.35% – 3.79%;

2014-15: 5.31% – 3.99%;

2015-16: 5.27% – 4.72%;

2016-17: 5.25% – 6.29%;

2017-18: 5.23% – 6.46%;

2018-19: 5.21% – 6.49%;

2019-20: 5.22% – 5.99%;

2020- 21: 5.21% – 4.66%;

2021-22: 5.20% – 4.74%;

2022-23: 5.20% – 5.31%;

2023-24: 5.20% – 5.03%

In only five of the 12 years did Wales receive more conventional infrastructure spend than the average for England and Wales.

HS2

The figures exclude spending on the controversial HS2 project, which has been classified as an England and Wales scheme even though it does not enter Wales.

Lord Hain said: “This together with the failure to have a Barnett consequential for the massive HS2 investment in England proves that the Tories consistently shortchanged Wales on rail investment in top of which Brexit consequences added another mammoth Tory failure to fully match all pre-Brexit funding in Wales including for business and farming.

“Once the UK economy is placed on a stable financial footing by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves I hope that this can be addressed by Labour.”

Choices

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Labour rightly criticises the Tories, but these choices are now theirs. In their Budget, Labour chose to cut Wales’ portion of transport funding even more than under the Tories. That is inexcusable.

“Ahead of the Budget, the Welsh Government asked the Chancellor to review the unfair Barnett formula, which saw our transport funding fall from 81% in 2015 to just 36% by 2021. Yet Labour’s recent Budget cut this comparability factor even further to a shocking 33%. That’s a slap in the face to Labour’s own colleagues in the Senedd.

“Every rail project in England now leaves Wales further behind compared to the other devolved nations. Labour is committed to keeping this robbery legitimised in our settlement. This week, Wales Secretary Jo Stevens confirmed to me that rail infrastructure won’t be devolved to Wales – and showed no interest in fixing this imbalance. I

“It’s time for Labour to realise that power means responsibility. They must deliver fairness for Wales or risk proving once again that they take Wales for granted.”

The Conservatives’ recently appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Mims Davies was invited to comment, but has not done so.