Northern Powerhouse Rail and Wales

That this House notes with concern the classification of Northern Powerhouse Rail as an England and Wales project despite no part of the route being located in Wales; further notes that this follows similar classifications for HS2 and East-West Rail, which have resulted in Wales not receiving consequential funding for transport under the Barnett formula; recognises estimates that the latest decision could lead to Wales forgoing between £1.34 billion and £1.59 billion in additional funding, on top of previous projected losses from HS2 and East-West Rail, amounting in total to approximately £6 billion; acknowledges the acknowledged pressures on Wales’s transport infrastructure and the importance of adequate investment to support communities and economic growth; also notes that Scotland and Northern Ireland will receive consequential funding from Northern Powerhouse Rail and other major transport projects in England; and calls on the Government to review the classification of major rail projects and to ensure that funding arrangements operate fairly and transparently for all parts of the United Kingdom, including consideration of devolving responsibilities or revising project classifications where appropriate to avoid future disparities.