David Jones, MP

One of the most important projects planned for anywhere in Wales is the defence training academy at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan.  When the £12 billion scheme was announced in January, 2007, it was enthusiastically welcomed by politicians of all parties (with the exception of Plaid Cymru). It is projected to open in 2014 and will train up to 25,000 students every year.

The academy will need the appropriate infrastructure to support it, most importantly road links.  This is what the local MP, John Smith, had to say at last May’s Welsh Grand Committee:

We must ensure that the infrastructure is right for the people of west Wales and mid-Wales, so that we have easy access to and from the site.

Consequently, one of the most important projects being considered right now is the airport link road from the M4 to Cardiff airport. It is absolutely critical that that project remains on track and is delivered. Following the Budget, I recognise that there will be pressure because of the constraints on public expenditure growth and the pressure to look at projects that may be viewed as providing easy savings. However, it would be a disaster if the airport link road was delayed any further, or shelved or dropped by the Welsh Assembly Government between now and 2014, when the college will open. If that road is not built, the college will still open and the job opportunities will still be there but they will not go to the people of Wales, or rather they will not go to the proportion of people in Wales to whom they should go.

John Smith will consequently be disappointed at yesterday’s announcement by the Welsh transport minister that the airport link road is to be abandoned, together with a long-planned improvement to the M4 in South Wales.  Indeed, John has gone further and called the decision “economic lunacy”.

The announcement will undoubtedly cause uncertainty over the future of the St Athan project.  Such uncertainty will not have been relieved by the following exchange at yesterday’s Welsh Questions:

Mrs. Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham) (Con): The defence training project at St. Athan would bring huge opportunities to Wales. Will the Minister confirm that the Secretary of State is co-ordinating with the Ministry of Defence and that the pre-contract agreement letter will be issued to the preferred bidder this week, on time on 17 July—or will the Government delay that? 

Mr. David: The hon. Lady is correct to stress the importance of that investment to Wales. It will be the largest single investment ever in the Welsh economy. The defence technical college will be of tremendous benefit, not only to the Welsh economy but obviously to the United Kingdom armed forces. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State fully recognises the importance of that; he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence and they are going forward together. The hon. Lady can rest assured that we recognise the importance of the project for Wales. 

Wayne David’s answer was unsettlingly lengthy; I hope that it was not deliberately obfuscatory.   It could, and should, have been a simple: “Yes, it will be issued”. 

Recognising the importance of the project is one thing; issuing the pre-contract agreement letter is another.  The Wales Office should immediately clarify the position.  It would be extremely worrying if there were any doubt whatever over the Government’s commitment to St Athan.