Hansard

Defence Operations

Volume 580: debated on Wednesday 14 May 2014

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Alun Cairns
(Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)

7. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on that Department’s operations relating to Wales. (903934)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
(Stephen Crabb)

Wales Office Ministers have regular discussions with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence on their operations in Wales and on how best we can support the armed forces in Wales.

Alun Cairns

The success of the St Athan enterprise zone is dependent on access to the MOD runway. The Welsh Government seem to have over-promised and under-delivered on the seven-day access. What progress is being made to ensure that they can take responsibility, so that companies based in St Athan can make the most of the opportunities provided by this MOD asset?

Stephen Crabb

I think that my hon. Friend is referring to an incident that took place only this weekend involving Cardiff Aviation. I have discussed the matter with the Welsh Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart, and raised it with the Ministry of Defence. Clearly we have a shared interest with the Welsh Government in ensuring that commercial operations at St Athan are a success, and that is what we are working towards.