Part of 2. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 2:49 pm on 1 March 2017.
Ken Skates
Labour
2:49,
1 March 2017
Can I thank the Member for her question? The Member is absolutely right to identify infrastructure as being a major enabler for further economic growth across north Wales. The development of a new corridor and the potential road widening of the A494 does indeed form part of a £200 million proposed investment and part of the biggest package of infrastructure investment in transport in north Wales since the dawn of devolution—something in the region of £600 million is being allocated for transport improvements across north Wales, and I’m pleased to be able to bring those projects forward.
In terms of consultation, we’ve moved at speed to bring that to commencement on 13 March. It will last 12 weeks. I will keep Members updated on the progress. I’m inviting residents across the region to give their views, not just online but also at a series of exhibitions.
The Member will also be interested to know that last week I awarded Flintshire council £85,000 to help it develop bus and active travel projects along the B5129 at Queensferry and into Deeside Industrial Park. As the Member knows, Deeside Industrial Park, as one of Europe’s biggest industrial parks, is a major employer for people in the Constituency of Delyn, and we would like to encourage more people to access it through public transport and by active travel means. Our longer term plans for a metro scheme in north-east Wales will see a £50 million investment in the coming four years, and there are huge potential rewards for the local economy.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
In a general election, each Constituency chooses an MP to represent them. MPs have a responsibility to represnt the views of the Constituency in the House of Commons. There are 650 Constituencies, and thus 650 MPs. A citizen of a Constituency is known as a Constituent
