International Development Questions House of Commons

Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the

Commons. In half an hour David Cameron will be at the dispatch box

to face Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn plus backbench MPs for the latest

round of Prime Minister 's questions. No doubt the junior

doctors' strike action will be in the half hour session. It will be

followed by Toby Perkins bringing in a Bill that will introduce a new

English national anthem at sporting events. The main business in the

chamber today is an SNP led the bait on a Labour led economy. -- debate.

There were also be a review on the powers of the house that recommended

removing the ability of the Lords to block secondary legislation. You can

watch that live on our website this afternoon at BBC .co .uk. Join us

for a round-up of the day in both Houses of Parliament at 11pm. First

is the questions to the Welsh Secretary, Stephen Crabb.

Order. Order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales, Mr

Mark Williams. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

With your permission I will answer questions one and four together.

The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Cabinet

colleagues providing opportunities to discuss a range of issues in

flooding matters relating to the funding of services across Wales,

leading future funding of S4 C. The Prime Minister stated last week

from that dispatch box he wanted to meet the wording and spirit of his

manifesto promise on S4C, a promise that said we would save guard the

funding and editorial independence of S4C. In light of that last week,

can I invite the Minister to make it clear the government will abandon

the proposed cuts to the S4C's Budget and look at the funding needs

of S4C in the future? We will meet our manifesto

commitment to safeguard the funding and editorial independence of S4C,

and the Honourable Member will have heard the Prem and Mr's words when

he said we will meet the wording and spirit of our manifesto commitment.

He will also remember there was a debate proposed evening before by my

honourable friend the member for command and West and South

Pembrokeshire. The culture minister responded by saying he was looking

at the arguments and was keen to engage positively.

I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for mentioning last

Wednesday's debate because I wanted to talk about that and the consensus

it brought out in the chamber regarding the funding for S4C. Given

that consensus, will the Secretary of State remained his colleagues at

the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that they have a statutory

response ability to protect that funding and will he take the

opportunity to join with us in recommending an independent review

of S4C? She will recognise the way the

culture minister responded. He said he was listening to the arguments

and wanted to engage as positively as he could in that. I hope she

would recognise the spirit in which that was intended.

Given the Culture Secretary and the Director General informed -- the

Culture Secretary informed the director-general of the BBC that he

might cut S4C's grant by the same percentage as the BBC is getting cut

itself and it would be up to the government to decide how to make up

the shortfall, this is not the only cut being faced by S4C, what

additional funds will the government be providing over and above these

cuts? There is a charter open to discuss

the late Michael discussions under way. There will be a widespread

consultation and I hope she and other members will engage positively

in that. -- there is a charter open to discussion at the moment.

I understand we are facing a BBC Charter consultation, but looking at

the BBC's response in the present situation that is surely now room

for cross-party consensus that the funding for the public expenditure

element of S4C should be devolved to the National Assembly for Wales.

I don't accept the basis of the questions that has come forward. It

was my right honourable friend the Secretary of State's discussion that

led to the Saint Davids Day agreement and there was no agreement

on that sort of issue. We have to remember there was asked

-- it was our conservative government that established S4C. I

hope she will share in recognising that success.

What complete waffle from the Minister. The Tory Party manifesto

said only last spring that that Party was committed in government to

safeguarding the funding and editorial independence of S4C. Now

we are talking about a cut from the DC MS Budget of a quarter of its

funding. The Secretary of State is asking for migration, it is this-

why will they not safeguard the funding, and why is that quarter of

the funding Budget still on the table? It is a disgrace, how can we

trust them on any other commitment they make? The honourable lady will

have heard my answers to questions that have just come immediately

before. I find it a bit richer when the Labour Party opposite are

calling for extra funding for a Welsh language channel when this

morning the First Minister in the Assembly is seeking to defend his

position of cutting the Budget to support the Welsh language by 5.5%.

Just a disgrace. Mr Speaker, our nation 's small

businesses are the true heroes of this economic recovery and I am

proud to be part of a government on this site. SMEs have treated two

thirds of all the new private-sector jobs in Wales since 2010 as we

continue to reduce legislation and lower taxes and support small

businesses across the UK. 2016 is a British trade of commerce

and year of action on export. Can my right honourable friend

update the house on how he is helping small businesses in Wales?

My honourable friend raises an important point. We set ourselves an

ambitious target of ?1 trillion worth of exports from the UK by

2020. If we are to have any hope of meeting that target we have to

engage SMEs across the UK, especially in Wales. I will be in

North Wales tomorrow with my right honourable friend the Minister for

trade and investment promoting everything Wales has to offer.

The Welsh steel industry plays a critical role in underpinning

business across the board, including SMEs. Global headwinds affecting the

industry have been growing stronger. Will the Secretary of State join

with me and Welsh MPs from all parties in asking for a meeting with

his honourable friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation

and Skills to ensure no stone remains unturned in the fight to

save the Welsh steel industry? I thank the honourable gentleman for

his question and the spirit in which he has asked it. He knows as well as

we do that the steel industry across the UK faces a global crisis. He is

aware of all the different actions taken by this government to try to

help the Welsh and British Steel industry faced the global nature of

the crisis. I am happy to pass on this request to the Secretary of

State for business and we are in very close contact Tata Steel,

including the -- especially the plant in Port Talbot in his

constituency. My right honourable friend will know that one of the

SMEs is tidal lagoon Power limited with his debt is Michael its

exciting plans for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon. -- with its exciting

plans. Can the Secretary of state to tell

us what financial support will be coming from the government saw this

exciting project can succeed without delay?

The Swansea tidal lagoon proposition is very exciting and commence a lot

of support across Wales but we also have to recognise it is a project

asking for a very significant level of public subsidy. It is absolutely

right my right honourable friend is in the Treasury and the Department

for energy and out robust due diligence in making sure projects

like this deliver value for the taxpayer.

One of the issues small businesses raise with me is a lack of

connectivity for superfast broadband and mobile connections. Now that the

government and the Minister agree with me that we are under a

universal obligation for broadband, can he help me in supporting a pilot

scheme in the Isle of Anglesey? The honourable gentleman raises an

important point and we have discussed this many times in Wales

-- Wales questions and debates and improvements are happening across

Wales. We are seeing improvements in internet connectivity and mobile

phones, as well. There is much more we can do, I would be interested to

hear about the pilot project. In early December, the UK Government

announced ?50 million of additional funding to address issues of

flooding. A figure which has an it consequentials for Wales of ?2.76

million. Since then, a further ?90 million of funding has been

announced by the UK Government and we await to see what, if any,

Barnett consequentials arise from this. The new money a la greeted to

Wales, will the Minister join me in calling for the Welsh Assembly

government to allocate this to an area where many SMEs were flooded

three years ago and where there is currently a ?4 million -- shortfall

for necessary flood defence works. I join my friend in making their

suggestion and recommendation and it is worth putting on record our

sympathy and thoughts for all families and businesses in Wales, as

with families across the UK who suffered flooding during the

Christmas period. All of the money this government has announced for

the flood issues have Barnett consequential for Wales. It is up to

the Welsh government how they use that money but we certainly want

them to use everything a penny to address flooding issues that we will

keep coming back to time and time again and in this place.

-- discussing in this place. He will share worries over press reports

recently, could you tell us whether he would support a Welsh public

stake in Tata Steel? I am not going to engage in

speculation about job cuts which we saw in the press at the weekend. I

think members in this house on all sides need to be responsible in how

we debate these issues. We are in very close contact with Tata Steel

internationally and with regards to the operation across the UK, we know

their needs at this moment but there are big issues and questions that

have to be addressed. Number three, please, Mr Speaker.

We are investing in the most ambitious rail upgrade since

Victorian times. We are electrifying the Vale of Glamorgan and valleys

lines. This will reduce journey times for passengers across South

Wales. We need good rail links down to Cardiff and across to Bristol for

job. The ever deal to Cardiff Lane must be part of the core metro line

for that to happen. Can I ask the minister how he will make sure that

Southeast Wales gets the modern transport infrastructure it so badly

needs? The honourable member has been a strong champion for

investment in this railway line including the new station and the

UK's Government investment. Of course, the scope of the Valley

lines are great as the Welsh correct. But the Department for

Transport has been ?125 million available specifically for this.

This Government's investment in the rail network is crucial to people

across Wales particularly in my constituency. Will the Minister take

this opportunity to reaffirm the Government's commitment to

electrocution of the line to Swansea? The Prime Minister has

confirmed, the Transport Secretary and Secretary of State for Wales

have confirmed, we will electrify the great Western mainline all the

way to Swansea. Given that UK commuters spend up to six times as

much on rail fares as European passengers, has the Secretary of

State made any assessment of the impact of recent welfare decreases

on the Welsh economy? -- rail fare increases? We need to contrast that

with the ?3 billion that has been spent on improving services to and

within Wales and making sure that Wales benefits from the national

project of HS2 so that nor the wheels can benefit as well. Will the

Minister except that this investment will revolutionise collectivity in

the valleys and on the mainline to Swansea? Can heat sure with the

House what assessments have been done about the impact it will have

on job creation and passenger travel journeys? -- can he share? This is

an important point about the economic prospects that come out on

this significant investment. It is also worth remembering that the last

Labour Government left Wales as one of only three countries in Europe,

along with Moldova and Albania, without a single mile of electrified

track. We regularly have discussions on a

range of issues including transport infrastructure. The M4 is one of

Wales's vital arteries. The need to upgrade was identified decades ago

by business leaders as a number one priority. The Minister will be aware

that the ongoing delays on the' four had been causing problems for the

economy and South will. Pretty outline what steps the -- Kuti

outline what steps he has taken to improve this? It is hard to believe

that this was committed to only to be cancelled by members on the bench

opposite. My honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made

additional resources available and we just want the Welsh Government to

get on with it. In light of serious flooding from climate change, will

he be ensuring that the newly proposed M4 relief road will double

as a flood defence in terms of the Severn estuary? The root of the

matter for the Welsh Government. We would encourage them to consider all

options, but we want the project to start as soon as possible. Even if

it started at the as soon as it started at the as soon as

possible timescale outlined by the Welsh Government at the moment, is

completion still wouldn't be until the end of 2022 which is

unacceptable. Last week the Chancellor of the Exchequer visited

Cardiff. We are working with the Cardiff capital region to deliver on

ambitious proposals that will deliver economic growth right across

the entire region. There is a deadline of March and a down payment

of 50 million pounds. Does the Secretary of State agree that at the

heart of the city deal process we stand a real chance of the long-term

transformation of the those Wales economy? He is absolutely right, and

I want to thank the work he has done in championing the city deal for

Cardiff. It was a massive statement of this Government's confidence in

Welsh business and our ambition for Wales. We are clear that the ?50

million is a down payment on the Cardiff city deal. I think it is now

time for the local partners and the Welsh Government to crack on and

conclude this transformational project. We don't just want warm

words from the Chancellor about the Cardiff city deal. We want to know

if the UK Government is going to match the 580 million that have been

pledged by the Welsh permit for the Cardiff city deal. Can the Minister

and without? I am not sure if the honourable lady noticed that in the

visit to Cardiff last Thursday, we were not just using warbirds, we

were investing ?50 million of UK Government money. -- not just using

warm words. It was made clear that we will support in principle the

infrastructure fund at the heart of the Cardiff city deal project. The

Northern Powerhouse which stretches from North Wales to Newcastle is

reviving the great Northern cities. It is central to our vision for

rebalancing the economy, and North Wales has already benefited from

large-scale infrastructure investments. Given the proximity of

North Wales to the newly established science order, the positive impact

of infrastructure investment including HS2, does my honourable

friend agree that North Wales tends to strongly benefit from the

northern power is being taken for by this conservative governance? My

honourable friend and right. North Wales and the North of England fold

one economic entity. -- form one entity. I met businesses last year

in North Wales and the working to be a central part of it. As my

honourable friend mention, HS2 offers excellent opportunities for

those. With my honourable friend agree that the ?10.4 million

investment into the reopening of the halting curve will provide

significant economic boost for North Wales, not least with the fact you

have the direct link to Liverpool John Lennon Airport? Can I pay

tribute to my honourable friend for his work in securing this

investment? He championed this project from the outset and later

this year the direct link from North Wales to Chester to Liverpool will

be operational. This is the tangible demonstration of the northerly

powerhouse in action. -- in northern Paris. Will he recognise that HS2

coming to crew is very important, not just to electrify and link to

North Wales but also to speed up contacts to Manchester Airport for

North Wales? The honourable member will be aware of the real transport

Summit held in North Wales last year. It talked about how we can

best ring already bid to modernise the railway infrastructure across

North Wales. We look forward to that bids coming forward, but only last

week I sport to the chairman of the North Wales economic ambition board

to discuss the progress of this project. I have previously

questioned my honourable friend and his colleagues about the potential

benefits of the northerly powerhouse to North Wales. I have been

disappointed to be told about total lack of engagement on the board of

the Welsh assembly Government. Can my honourable friend change their

stance and be more plugged into the project? What is clear, businesses

see the benefits, local authorities see the benefits, and we would

encourage the Welsh Government to engage positively, because the

business does not recognise the initiative boundaries between the

two. The Government's so-called northerly powerhouse will bring no

benefit to North Wales unless we see much needed investment in

infrastructure this Government has so far failed to deliver. When

either billeted Broughton, the Chancellor promised in July that he

would look at rail electrification in North Wales. -- when he visited

Broughton. Six months later, has anything happened? Yes, a

significant amount has happened about real investment in North

Wales. I mention the summit that was held last year. We working to

develop signalling to improve the really lives. The board are

delighted with the support we have given and we are keen to develop

that even further. Let's hope they get on a bit quicker with the

electrification ban the arm with the great Western mainline. That track

than they are. We also need better links to Manchester. Can the

Minister if way my instead of investing in greater capacity en

route to Manchester brought, they have rejected a ban supposedly in

favour of trans-Pennine services? At the Secretary of State claimed that

the Cabinet table counts for anything, what is the going to do

about it? I don't recognise the premise of the Honourable Lady's

question. Significant discussions are going on between the Department

for Transport and the Welsh Government and rail operators about

the franchises, and we will happily take representation on a positive

basis. In all parts of the United Kingdom, our welfare reforms are

working, transforming the lives of those from disadvantaged

backgrounds. The number of workless households in Wales continues to

fall, with 12,000 pure in the last year alone. Would he agree with me

that the Government was mayor -- reforms are improving the lives of

children in Wales? I absolutely do agree. We on these benches

understand that work is the best route out of poverty. While I am

pleased that the number of children growing in a home where no parent

works has halved since 2010, I'm clear that if we are to transform a

life chances we have to go much deeper and address the root causes

of worklessness. Four years ago, my constituent Margaret Foster was

sacked by this prime minister. Yesterday I raised the case in a

debate, and today I have been approached by local employers to

offer her work. Why is the Secretary of State on this prime minister

residing over a system to support disabled workers which is so useless

that it takes a member of parliament raising the issue in Parliament for

anything to happen? I'd point out to the honourable member that the

proportion of disabled people in Wales in work have increased under

this Government. There was a time when members on the benches opposite

understood well there for. There was a time when they talked of the

language of wealth are written -- welfare reform, and maybe when they

are done kicking long side of each other they will get back to

addressing that. I recognise the proposed Swazi tidal lagoon project

has the potential to establish Wales as a major hub for tidal power. --

Swansea tidal lagoon project. Dean Quarry of my constituency is

likely to be the source for the tidal lagoon. Residents are

concerned as it is an important tourist area and conservation zone,

and we believe there are cheaper areas to source the zone. Will the

Minister agree that the impact on the environment and economy is too

great, our sources of stone are available, and the Government will

look for other places where they can get the Stone other than Dean

Quarry? I am aware of the specific issue raised by my honourable

friend, who is as ever a powerful and effective voice on behalf of his

constituents. Banning applications in relation to Dean Quarry would be

dealt with by the marine management organisation and local authorities

should absolutely didn't accountable concerns. -- planning applications.

It would be a travesty if the UK Government were to pull the plug on

the lagoon, so can the Minister confirm the Government remains

committed to the project? The honourable lady is right. This is a

big, potentially very exciting and significant project. It is also a

project looking for a very large amount of public subsidy and

intervention, and it is absolute rights, not that we would expect

members on the opposite benches to understand this, but when you are

dealing with large amounts of taxpayers' money... Swansea Bay

tidal lagoons and other lagoons that may come as a result of it will

provide excellent potential for supply chains across South Wales.

Will he at least committed to making this happen and doing it as soon as

possible? I will just repeat the answer I gave to his colleague. We

recognise that this is a potentially very exciting significant project in

terms of delivering a low carbon renewable energy over a long period

of time. We need to look very fully at the finances to ensure it does

deliver value to taxpayers putting a large amount of subsidy into the

project. I shall have further such meetings

later today. The Royal College of Midwives has called the government's

plans to cut nurses' student grants appalling. The Royal College of

Nursing says they are deeply concerned. Meanwhile, the honourable

member for Lewis who is a nurse so she would have struggled to

undertake are training giving the proposed changes to the bursaries

scheme. Why does the Prime Minister still think he is right to scrap

grants for students nurses? For the very simple reason that we want to

sit more nurses in training and more nurses in our NHS. We believe there

will be an additional 10,000