Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Alun Cairns Excerpts
Wednesday 15th May 2013

(10 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Jones Portrait Mr Jones
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I agree entirely with the hon. Gentleman that Airbus is an important and innovative employer. I have visited it twice recently, including when the contract for the AirAsia order was signed. However, Europe is an important issue. The Prime Minister considers it right that we should debate it properly, and that, at the end of that debate, we should have a vote. After the dust has settled, the fact will remain that, of all the mainstream parties, only the Conservative party wants to give the people of this country a vote on Europe.

Alun Cairns Portrait Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)
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St Athan enterprise zone in my constituency is focused on aerospace, and offers fantastic facilities, including hangars, runways and skills. What action is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that UK Trade & Investment is playing its full part to work with the community, those employed in St Athan and the Welsh Government to develop its status?

David Jones Portrait Mr Jones
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My hon. Friend is entirely right that St Athan offers an enormously important resource in south Wales. The Aerospace Technology Institute will lead collaborative research and development projects across the UK, which will involve universities and industry. I suggest that that is a tremendous opportunity for St Athan.