Oral Answers to Questions

Huw Irranca-Davies Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Gillan]

May I welcome my hon. Friend to his rightful place in the House, representing the Vale of Glamorgan? He knows what a strong supporter I am of the case for the training college at St Athan, and all I can say is that this is yet another example of how the Labour party did not stand up for Welsh interests. Labour did not get on with this project when it had the opportunity to do so when it was in government. May I also remind my hon. Friend that planning permission for this project was granted by a Conservative-led local authority back in 2009?

[Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab)]

6. What recent discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on the representation of the interests of Wales in Cabinet Committees.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Mrs Cheryl Gillan)]

I have regular discussions with the Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues affecting Wales.

[Huw Irranca-Davies]

May I add my congratulations to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan) and her ministerial colleague on their elevation to the Government Front Bench, but will she confirm that the previous Secretary of State sat on as many as a dozen Cabinet Committees and his ministerial colleague sat on up to a dozen as well, and in the light of that—and of the delay in the referendum date, as well as the appointment of a lovable rogue whom I like very much indeed but is an arch devo-sceptic as Chairman of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs, and the attack on Welsh MPs—will she tell us why this is not telling the Welsh that they—

[Mr Speaker]

Put in the question mark! I call the Secretary of State.