Response to interpellation 2023/24:41 on the state's responsibility regarding industrial establishments
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the state's responsibility regarding industrial establishments and investments in transport infrastructure. KD argues that the state has primary responsibility for state transport infrastructure, but that municipalities can contribute if the investment is primarily a municipal matter 1. KD argues that the government acts quickly by accelerating analyses 2 3 and takes responsibility for having sufficient funds by canceling plans for high-speed trains 3. KD is prepared to take measures to accelerate transition and reinforcements 4. S argues that the government is not prepared to clarify Trafikverket's mandate or provide additional funds 5 6 and that the government prioritizes tax cuts over infrastructure investments 5.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Peder Björk has asked me if the government intends to take the initiative to clarify Trafikverket's mandate so that the state takes its share of the responsibility for investments in state infrastructure in connection with industrial establishments. Peder Björk has further asked me if the government intends in the near future to provide additional financial resources so that Trafikverket has the financial resources required to be able to take its share of the responsibility for investments in state infrastructure in connection with industrial establishments.
Initially, I would like to remind that in August this year I responded to a written question from Peder Björk regarding the state's responsibility for infrastructure linked to industrial establishments. From my answer it appeared that the main principle is that it is the state's task to account for investments in state transport infrastructure, but that Trafikverket can examine the possibility of co-financing from various stakeholders. If a state investment in some part is to be regarded primarily as a municipal matter, it can in some cases be reasonable that the municipalities concerned contribute to the investment in question.
Regarding the question of providing additional financial resources so that Trafikverket has the financial resources required to be able to take its share of the investment responsibility in industrial establishments, I can state that the needs within the infrastructure are great. Deliberate prioritizations need to be made between different measures, and it is important that this is done in an orderly process with a sufficient basis.
The Government has already initiated the work on a new national plan for 2026-2037 by, in a first step, commissioning Trafikverket to produce a directional basis. It appears in the assignment that the agency shall, among other things, consider capacity-enhancing measures in the railway system. Trafikverket shall also account for ongoing work to strengthen working methods and methods for maintenance activities in order to improve implementation from a cost and capacity perspective. The agency shall also assess upcoming financing beyond the economic planning framework, for example, co-financing. No later than 15 January 2024, Trafikverket shall submit the directional basis to the Government.
Sweden shall pursue an ambitious, effective climate policy to reach the climate goals. The Swedish business community shall be given the conditions to be leading in the green transition. How Trafikverket works with investments in state infrastructure in connection with, for example, industrial establishments and how it interacts with its surroundings is one of many questions that I continuously follow up in dialogue with the agency.
Peder Björk (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer to my question.
The reason I have submitted this interpellation is that we are now seeing a major growth of new, green industry in northern Sweden. It is important for the transition, but it also provides thousands of new jobs.
In connection with the emergence of this new industry, large investments in infrastructure are often required, and some of those investments involve connecting new industrial areas to the state infrastructure.
In the example I highlighted in the interpellation, it is a question of the green industry emerging in Västernorrland, in this case in Torsboda. It concerns the fact that, upon the establishment of the industry, it is necessary to connect to a new traffic location on the national road network, in this case European route 4.
In connection with that, Trafikverket has been clear that they want the municipalities to bear the cost of the investment. Just as the Minister correctly said, I previously submitted a question in a written procedure, and I thought the Minister's answer was good. It was clearly stated there that the main principle is that the state shall take responsibility for investments in state infrastructure.
Madam Speaker! The fact is that Trafikverket has acted exactly the opposite, both before and after I submitted the written question. Trafikverket continues to assert that the municipalities shall take responsibility for paying for the investments. Not only that, after I submitted the written question, Trafikverket chose to appeal the detailed plan because the municipalities say they do not want to pay for investments in state infrastructure. That is why I have chosen to raise the issue in an interpellation, that is to say, to alert the Minister of State to how Trafikverket is acting across the country and in this case in Västernorrland. I also want to give the Minister of State an opportunity to clarify what is the government's position in these matters.
Madam Speaker! I am surprised that the Minister is repeating the answer to the previous question and merely referring to the main principle. My question was more specific than that. It was about whether the government is prepared to change the mandate to Trafikverket so that one adheres to the main principle that the Minister himself has highlighted in his answer. Is the government and the Minister prepared to give a clarified mandate to Trafikverket, so that one actually follows the main principle that the Minister himself emphasizes both in the previous written answer and in today's interpellation answer?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Just as Peder Björk describes, a new industrialization and an expansion in the green transition is currently occurring, creating jobs and growth throughout the country. The Government sees great opportunities, not least for northern Sweden, to lead the new industrial revolution and become an engine for green innovations.
The new sustainable industry is establishing itself. Can that part of the country become a leader in the global climate transition? We see the development in several other parts of the country at the same time.
There is a great need for reinforcements of the road network and in the railway infrastructure, not least strategically and socio-economically profitable measures that promote the industrial green transition in Sweden. Against that background, and against the background of what is happening in northern Sweden, the government gave a mandate to Trafikverket in March to analyze measures in the transport infrastructure in Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties. In the mandate, Trafikverket was to describe the planning situation and the possibility of advancing measures linked to potential deficiencies and bottlenecks that may arise in the transport system as a result of the new industrialization. The agency was also to investigate the conditions and possibilities for co-financing of the affected measures and pre-financing to accelerate implementation. Trafikverket presented the mandate in the middle of September, and the government is now preparing the proposals and intends to return to that issue.
What Peder Björk highlights here is something that lies further south. It is a matter that has been appealed, and an appeal process is something I, as a minister, cannot comment on. It is a decision that Trafikverket has made and is responsible for, and it does not fall upon the government or an individual minister to comment on an ongoing matter. I hope that the member has respect for that.
The Government has tasked Trafikverket with producing a new orientation basis, which is a first step towards the national plan. As I said in my opening response, Madam Speaker, there are many large needs in the infrastructure across the entire country, and it is important that well-considered prioritizations are made between different measures and that this occurs in an orderly process with sufficient documentation. It is, of course, the case that what the Government has pointed out in the assignment concerns, among other things, work commuting and freight traffic, which are priorities in the Government's work with the railway infrastructure. I therefore assume that when Trafikverket works on producing the orientation basis, which is said to be the first step towards a new national plan, it takes into account precisely work commuting and freight traffic, which the interpellor highlights is in need of strengthened capacity in this part of the country. This must also be included in the basis that the Government then receives on its desk, which we will refer and then return to the Riksdag during next year in a proposition. In that, we can establish the frameworks for necessary prioritizations in the infrastructure to succeed with the green transition that is to create jobs and growth in the entire country.
We are in agreement, and I hope that the member has respect for the fact that I, as an individual minister, cannot comment on an ongoing matter.
Peder Björk (S)
Madam Speaker! I have the greatest respect for the fact that the Minister cannot comment on ongoing matters, but I interpret the Minister's response, where he refers to national planning in Västerbotten and Norrbotten, as that he is simply satisfied with the mandate that Trafikverket has right now. The Minister is obviously not prepared to change the mandate here and now so that there will be a change in this specific issue.
If the Minister and the Government are satisfied with the mandate to Trafikverket, another part of this remains, namely that Trafikverket has a clear mandate. But if Trafikverket does not act according to the mandate, it can be interpreted as that one does not think one has sufficient resources. If I am to interpret the Minister's interpellation answer kindly, I still see that the Government is prepared to consider providing more funds when the proposal for a new national plan is presented. But the national plan will not be presented until at earliest 2026 with entry into force in 2027 and the years ahead.
The establishment of the green industry is happening here and now. The factories in Torsboda must be in place and fully operational in two to three years. At that point, it is not sufficient to refer to a national plan that might provide more resources in three, four, five, or six years. This is about the green transition and about thousands of jobs that are at stake so that the factories can be established. In that case, Trafikverket cannot exert pressure on the municipalities and thousands of jobs to get the investments in infrastructure completed.
This government can spend tens of billions of kronor on tax cuts for those who already have it good, but one does not seem to be able to consider providing funds so that the investments are completed so that the municipalities are not forced to take them over.
Is the government prepared to allocate resources to Trafikverket in the near future so that Trafikverket can do what the government says the agency should do, that is, take responsibility for national infrastructure around the country?
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! It is interesting that tax cuts so often come up in the debate when one is debating with a Social Democratic member. We are making tax cuts for low- and middle-income earners in the budget. It is a matter of households that are under severe pressure due to increased costs as a result of the high inflation. The budget is also weakly restrictive so that inflation is dampened.
The party that Peder Björk belongs to removed the defense tax during the previous parliamentary term. And it was during the previous parliamentary term that the national plan that now applies was drawn up. There, the Social Democratic party had every opportunity to make other priorities in the national plan that now applies. These are long horizons when it comes to transport infrastructure planning. So it has been, and it is of course a challenge. But Peder Björk's party had the chance to make other priorities.
Now this government has shown that we are ready to act quickly. That the mission for Västerbotten and Norrbotten is being accelerated is an example of this.
It is important to see what we can do to strengthen the capacity for the many different industrial establishments taking place in our country. Therefore, we halted the work on new main lines for high-speed trains, which would have consumed a very large part of the infrastructure cake. This, too, is something that Peder Björk's party must be held accountable for - despite the Riksrevision's criticism, they continued with that planning.
We therefore take absolute responsibility for ensuring that we have more funds to meet the state commitment. But just as I said in my response, when a state investment concerns something that is primarily to be regarded as a municipal matter, it can in some cases be reasonable for the municipalities concerned to contribute to the investment in question. That is also part of the response that I have given today in the chamber.
I thank you for the respect that I cannot comment on an ongoing matter and therefore will not do so, Madam Speaker.
Peder Björk (S)
Madam Speaker! I choose to see how things look now and look forward. The Minister and the government have every opportunity in the world to both clarify the mandate for Trafikverket and provide more money here and now.
To briefly summarize this debate, the announcement from the government is that they are not prepared to clarify the assignment to Trafikverket. The government is not prepared to provide more money in the near term to achieve these so important investments in new, green energy with thousands of new jobs. This I regret.
But I will nevertheless, Madam Speaker, take note of what the Minister says in the response to the interpellation, where he refers to the ongoing dialogue taking place with Trafikverket regarding these issues. In order for the Minister to be properly informed when he has this dialogue, I would welcome the Minister to contact the affected municipalities to find out how they actually view this. I would also welcome it if the Minister could also consider making a visit to Västernorrland, on-site at Torsboda, in order to personally see and take part in the development that is occurring and the needs that exist.
It is, in fact, very much at stake, Madam Speaker. It is about the green transition and about thousands of jobs. If one cannot make these investments in infrastructure, one risks exactly that green transition and these jobs. I hope that the government chooses to look forward and ensure that it invests in this.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Peder Björk, for the commitment! The Government has already shown that we are prepared to take measures to see what we can do to accelerate necessary reinforcements of the transport infrastructure so that the new industrialization is enabled. I therefore do not consider it ruled out that we can take measures. As I have said, I have an ongoing dialogue with the authority. I also believe I have received an invitation via the Kristdemokraterna group leader Ronja Strid to delve even deeper into the situation. I welcome the local commitment and that the member has raised the issue here in the chamber today.
I look forward to continued dialogue, not least when we come to the work of revising the national plan. It is not so very long until Trafikverket is to report on its assignment. Through the assignments we have given Trafikverket during the year, we have shown that the government is, of course, always prepared to take measures that can accelerate the transition that needs to take place and the reinforcements that need to take place so that we can manage to increase commuting opportunities and opportunities for freight traffic. We will continue to work in that direction.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.