Transport (Wales) Bill

As we have heard, Amendment No. 2 would extend the general transport duty in Clause 1 to include a statutory duty on the National Assembly for Wales to promote the Welsh economy. We do not think it is necessary to promote the Welsh economy in the Bill. We are doing that in many other ways; for example, A Winning Wales–The National Economic Development Strategy of the Welsh Assembly Government. That strategy was published in 2002 and a revised version is being consulted on. The amendment would widen the scope of the Bill beyond transport matters. Furthermore, although there is an undeniable link between an integrated transport system and economic prosperity, it is not appropriate to create a statutory duty to promote the Welsh economy in a Bill dealing with transport. My next point goes some way to answering my noble friend’s points: the five factors that the Assembly must consider in developing its overarching general transport duty are safety, integration, sustainability, efficiency and economy. Economic considerations, therefore, are one of the five factors to be considered. Including the promotion of the economy in the Bill would be prejudicial to the Assembly’s ability to strike an appropriate balance between those five factors in the development of its transport policies. Amendment No. 8 would place a requirement in the Bill that the Assembly should consult the business sector in Wales on the development of the Wales transport strategy. Again, we appreciate the spirit of the amendment but it is not necessary because we will consult the business sector. Taking up a point made by the noble Lord, Lord Roberts of Conwy, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institution of Civil Engineers were consulted on the draft Bill and will continue to be consulted as we progress. Quite apart from the Assembly’s duty to consult organisations representative of the businesses set out in Section 115 of the Government of Wales Act, it would also go against the institution’s whole practice of working, notably on the basis of partnership. As I have said, the business sector was extensively consulted on the draft Bill as part of the pre-legislative process. As I said a moment ago, transport is a complex area with a wide range of interested parties, including service providers, network managers and so forth. The Assembly would not prepare or amend a strategy without extensive public consultation and we do not feel it is appropriate to single out the business community in the Bill. I hope that Members of the Committee are convinced by that explanation and will be prepared to withdraw the amendments.