A Welsh Government cabinet minister has attacked the UK Government's decision to categorise a second major English rail project as also benefiting Wales, so there will be no funding for the Welsh Government.
Mick Antoniw MS said in the Senedd said it is "complete nonsense" to suggest Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 benefit Wales enough to deny a potential billions in Barnett funding. Mr Antoniw, the Welsh Government's counsel general, said the decisions were an "abuse" of the Barnett formula.
Rail spending is not devolved to Wales so the nation does not get a guaranteed share of any spending in England, and is dependent on arguing for funding from Network Rail. To address this, previous major rail projects like Crossrail have been classed as England-only so Wales gets a share of the funds. However for HS2, UK Government ministers have repeatedly insisted it is an 'England and Wales' project despite none of its track being in England.
