Jobs, the EU referendum and zip wires - Welsh Questions

Guto Bebb MP: 'A true champion of zipwires'

Well that was a curious "Welsh" question time. The first eight questions - the order is chosen by a random shuffle - came from English Conservative MPs.

The focus was very much on the economy - with MPs celebrating the news that Aston Martin will open a factory in south Wales and debating who should claim the credit.

Shadow Welsh Secretary Nia Griffith raised recent job losses in the steel industry and the review of the Swansea tidal lagoon. Stephen Crabb told her Britain had raised the steel industry's problems within the EU and that the review had been welcomed by the company behind the project.

The EU referendum was raised once or twice - although, curiously, no-one asked Stephen Crabb why he doesn't agree with the Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, who wants to leave the EU.

Former cabinet minister Liam Fox warned Mr Crabb against devolving air passenger duty to Wales, which he said would favour a state-owend airport (Cardiff) at the expense of a privately-owned one (Bristol) in his constituency.

It wouldn't be Welsh Questions without a question or two about the constitution - Plaid Cymru's Jonathan Edwards was worried income tax powers would leave the Welsh government worse off. Stephen Crabb said the Welsh government didn't want them anyway.

'Zip wire'

But the economy was the big issue, with Aberconwy's Guto Bebb highlighting the growth of a company, Zipworld, which is run by his constituent, Sean Taylor , which now employs 220 people (from a standing start four years ago) on a zip wire attraction in north Wales.

Mr Bebb was in turn told by the minister Alun Cairns: "Many MPs will appreciate the difficulties that zip wires can offer [it's open season on Boris Johnson in government this week] but I pay tribute to my honourable friend who is a true champion of zip wires". Hold that thought while you read the Hansard report of the exchanges here.