Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Trouble with the Nats?
Being in government has not stopped Plaid Cymru Assembly Members asking feisty questions in Plenary, though nobody could have matched Alun Davies excoriation of Leader of the House, Carwyn Jones yesterday on the subject of cuts in ITV Wales' public service content:
Alun Davies: I wish to return to the subject raised by Nerys Evans, namely the announcement by ITV, following last week’s statement from Ofcom. I am afraid, Leader of the House, that the response to that request was somewhat inadequate. There is a crisis facing English-language television in Wales at the moment, and we need a statement from the Government on the approach that it is taking to this. We have had a response to the Broadcasting Committee’s report from the Government, which I have found to be somewhat timid in approach. I hope that the Government will not sit back and allow English-language television to disappear from ITV without a squeak. It is important, not only to save the jobs of the people who are to be sacked, but to guarantee space for the cultural expression of people in this country, who require a reflection of their lives on the television screen. The Government needs to respond to this urgently and needs to move from rhetoric to action.
This attracted the cheers of the Conservatives, much to Alun's discomfort. Nevertheless, Plaid Cymru's Chris Franks seemed determined to provide further entertainment with a question that implied that he sympathised with those Labour members unhappy with the Labour-Plaid coalition:
Will you arrange for a statement on the economic impact of continued problems with the NATS? [Interruption.]
Carwyn Jones: I did not quite hear the last word but I am sure that you meant the national air traffic control system.
And with that answer all the opportunities to have some fun at the One Wales' Government's expense evaporated.
Alun Davies: I wish to return to the subject raised by Nerys Evans, namely the announcement by ITV, following last week’s statement from Ofcom. I am afraid, Leader of the House, that the response to that request was somewhat inadequate. There is a crisis facing English-language television in Wales at the moment, and we need a statement from the Government on the approach that it is taking to this. We have had a response to the Broadcasting Committee’s report from the Government, which I have found to be somewhat timid in approach. I hope that the Government will not sit back and allow English-language television to disappear from ITV without a squeak. It is important, not only to save the jobs of the people who are to be sacked, but to guarantee space for the cultural expression of people in this country, who require a reflection of their lives on the television screen. The Government needs to respond to this urgently and needs to move from rhetoric to action.
This attracted the cheers of the Conservatives, much to Alun's discomfort. Nevertheless, Plaid Cymru's Chris Franks seemed determined to provide further entertainment with a question that implied that he sympathised with those Labour members unhappy with the Labour-Plaid coalition:
Will you arrange for a statement on the economic impact of continued problems with the NATS? [Interruption.]
Carwyn Jones: I did not quite hear the last word but I am sure that you meant the national air traffic control system.
And with that answer all the opportunities to have some fun at the One Wales' Government's expense evaporated.
