Welsh affairs committee welcomes St Athans fiasco!

Session 2006-07
17 January 2007

Press Notice No 4
Welsh Affairs Committee welcomes decision to locate multi-billion pound training academy at St Athan. The Welsh Affairs Committee today welcomes the decision by the Ministry of Defence to award the contract for a new military training academy based at St Athan.
The contract will create around 5,000 jobs and contribute £58 million a year to the local economy.

Chairman of the Welsh Affairs Committee, Dr Hywel Francis said: “This is great news for Wales and for the future of British military excellence. “As the largest single investment by the Government in Wales ever, it will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the economy in South Wales, providing much needed jobs and investment. We congratulate the Defence Secretary Des Browne on his decision and we look forward with great anticipation to the opening of this centre of excellence in 2013.”
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But is this true? Does Dr Hywel Francis support PFI so whole heartedly and do his constituents realise this? Does he really think 5000 jobs will be created. who is paying for the necessary con ditional road building and has anny one consulted with the local people or considered the environmental impact of this road building and the academy in Wales?

The Welsh Affairs Committee Members are:
Dr Hywel Francis MP, (Chairman) Labour, Aberavon
Mr Stephen Crabb MP, Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire
David T. C. Davies MP, Conservative, Monmouth
Nia Griffith MP, Labour, Llanelli
Mrs Siân C. James MP, Labour, Swansea East
Mr David Jones MP, Conservative, Clwyd West
Mr Martyn Jones MP, Labour, Clwyd South
Jessica Morden MP, Labour, Newport East
Albert Owen MP, Labour, Ynys Môn
Mark Williams MP, Liberal Democrat, Ceredigion
Hywel Williams MP, Plaid, Caernarfon