Friday, December 08, 2006
Po versus DPO - the sequel.
For those who remember the spat between the Presiding Officer and his Deputy, John Marek, in the Chamber a few weeks ago, Wednesday's Plenary saw a sequel, albeit a less dramatic and more orderly exchange of views:
John Marek: Does the Minister remember giving ArvinMeritor money and it then transferring 200 jobs from north Wales to south Wales? Is he aware that he has given money to Seda UK and, with that generous amount of money, the company has now stolen a contract from F Bender Ltd of Wrexham and 50 more jobs are going to go from north Wales to south Wales? That is not inward investment; it is impoverishing north Wales. When will the Minister stop it?
Andrew Davies: Wrexham has done extremely well, historically, in terms of job creation and inward investment. In my reply to Karen Sinclair—and I am not sure whether you were in the Chamber when I said it—
John Marek: Of course I was in the Chamber.
The Presiding Officer: Order. John Marek is always in the Chamber. [Laughter.]
Nice to know that we can all laugh about it afterwards.
John Marek: Does the Minister remember giving ArvinMeritor money and it then transferring 200 jobs from north Wales to south Wales? Is he aware that he has given money to Seda UK and, with that generous amount of money, the company has now stolen a contract from F Bender Ltd of Wrexham and 50 more jobs are going to go from north Wales to south Wales? That is not inward investment; it is impoverishing north Wales. When will the Minister stop it?
Andrew Davies: Wrexham has done extremely well, historically, in terms of job creation and inward investment. In my reply to Karen Sinclair—and I am not sure whether you were in the Chamber when I said it—
John Marek: Of course I was in the Chamber.
The Presiding Officer: Order. John Marek is always in the Chamber. [Laughter.]
Nice to know that we can all laugh about it afterwards.
