And in other news.....MPs debate the Welsh economy

  • Published
  • comments

It's just possible this debate, external may have passed you by. As Lord Justice Leveson unveiled his verdict on the culture, practices and ethics of the press, MPs discussed the Welsh economy.

This three-hour debate took place in Westminster Hall, the parallel Commons debating chamber. The debate was opened - with a tongue-in-cheek apology - by the chair of the select committee on Welsh affairs, David Davies.

"The timing of this debate is a little unfortunate," said the Monmouth MP. "As honourable members will know, the Leveson report is being released at this very moment, so I apologise to Lord Leveson if we keep him off tomorrow's front pages."

The subject of the debate was the committee's report, external, published last February, on inward investment, an issue where responsibility is shared between Welsh and UK governments.

Labour MP Paul Flynn suggested the report would have been stronger had it concentrated on the responsibilities of parliament, reminding MPs that Denbighshire Council once debated at length its stance on the Vietnam war without any obvious global influence.

Mr Davies focused on high-profile constituency issue, the cost of crossing the Severn Bridges and their future ownership: "The Welsh assembly government are loudly demanding control over both bridges, although one is entirely in England, which seems to have escaped their attention. However, they are being rather silent about what they would do to the tolls if they were put in charge."

The debate was more discursive than revelatory, although it did give a glimpse of what one Welsh MP got up to on his honeymoon.

Plaid Cymru's Jonathan Edwards said: "As colleagues know, I have just returned from my honeymoon in Cape Verde, and I actually watched the Swansea game against Liverpool live on TV in my hotel room."

Mrs Edwards's view of how her new husband spent their honeymoon is sadly unrecorded, but you can read the whole debate here, external.