Economic Growth
Wednesday, 4 November 2026
Contributions
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)Democratic Unionist Party
3. What steps his Department is taking with the Welsh Government to support economic growth in Wales.
Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)Labour
11. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support economic growth in Wales.
The Secretary of State for Wales (Stephen Kinnock)Labour
The UK Government are committed to driving economic growth in Wales. We are investing £2.6 billion to bring nuclear power back to Wylfa, £500 million to secure the future of Welsh steel, and £50 million to support defence jobs across Wales.
I thank the Secretary of State for his response. He and I both know that when it comes to driving economic growth, whether it is in Wales or Northern Ireland, we are always better together. Given that both Wales and Northern Ireland face similar challenges with rural economic development and in supporting our vital small business sectors, what specific lessons has the Department shared with the Northern Ireland Office and the devolved Executive to ensure that targeted regional growth strategies work collectively to strengthen the entire United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The hon. Gentleman mentions rural economic development. We are extending the 3.7p cut to red diesel to July 2027, and suspending tariffs on fertiliser. We are removing the 4% tariff on heating oil, which will support 105,000 Welsh households, and I am sure that many of his constituents will also benefit. We had productive talks at the National Economic Council in Glasgow. Of course, it was unfortunate that the Northern Irish Government were not represented in those talks, but we will certainly continue to work closely with the hon. Gentleman and others to ensure strong co-operation and collaboration across all the nations that make up our United Kingdom.
The Access for All programme is 20 years old this year, yet much work is to be done on making travel easier for rail passengers with mobility constraints. For example, the northbound platform at Ruabon station, in my constituency, still has no step-free access and is in desperate need of a ramp or, better yet, a lift. What steps is the Department taking to improve accessibility at Welsh railway stations?
I enjoyed meeting my hon. Friend last week, when we discussed Ruabon station. My officials have since raised this project with Network Rail. I am very pleased to confirm that the UK Government have announced Ruabon as one of the 23 stations across Great Britain that have been selected to progress to the next stage of the Access for All programme. I look forward to further engagement with my hon. Friend on this hugely important project, which I believe includes the installation of what is known in the trade as a jack-in-the-box lift.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5432167.