Readers of the Western Mail will have digested something of a spat in its letters column over the role of the main Welsh committee at Westminster.
The select committee on Welsh affairs chairman, Hywel Francis, has been defending his crew from criticism over its role in the devolved world.
The MPs say their committee has just completed "the busiest year in its history". Dr Francis has certainly been busy, attending 43 out of 44 meetings during the year.
The former Welsh Secretary, Alun Michael, managed 40 of the 44 meetings. Tory frontbencher David Jones made it to three quarters of committee gatherings.
Tory backbenchers were less regular attenders at the main Welsh forum for holding the Government to account. Monmouth MP David Davies made it to just five of the 44, an attendance record explained by diary clashes with his membership of the more prestigious Home Affairs Committee.
Mark Pritchard made it to 12 meetings. Labour MP Martyn Jones was present at nine gatherings.
The overall attendance record was 54.1 per cent, although it drops to below half if you take out Dr Francis and Mr Michael.
You can check out the scores for yourself here.
Showing posts with label David Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Jones. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Monday, 30 March 2009
Vote Blue, Fly Green?
Anyone remember the Conservatives' re-branding as an eco-friendly party?
It's funny how the memory plays tricks. The green focus seems to have been sidelined since the credit crunch arrived.
Anyone who can recall those heady "Vote Blue, Go Green" days may be surprised to see Tory MPs claiming for internal flights in the latest list of parliamentary allowances.
David Jones, a frontbench spokesman on Welsh affairs, claimed almost £1,300 in the last financial year for flights between his constituency (Clwyd West) and Westminster.
He argues that he let the plane take the strain because engineering works on the West coast main line made travelling by train on Sundays impossible for much of the time. He also points out that the air fare is sometimes less than the cost of a return on Virgin.
No news yet on the cost to the planet or whether David Cameron plans to plant a forest or two to offset all the carbon generated.
UPDATE: A reader (they do exist) alerts me to Mr Jones's own views on the eco-benefits of Welsh food: "They also know that it has been produced reasonably locally and is not contributing to excessive carbon emissions by being flown half way across the world."
It's funny how the memory plays tricks. The green focus seems to have been sidelined since the credit crunch arrived.
Anyone who can recall those heady "Vote Blue, Go Green" days may be surprised to see Tory MPs claiming for internal flights in the latest list of parliamentary allowances.
David Jones, a frontbench spokesman on Welsh affairs, claimed almost £1,300 in the last financial year for flights between his constituency (Clwyd West) and Westminster.
He argues that he let the plane take the strain because engineering works on the West coast main line made travelling by train on Sundays impossible for much of the time. He also points out that the air fare is sometimes less than the cost of a return on Virgin.
No news yet on the cost to the planet or whether David Cameron plans to plant a forest or two to offset all the carbon generated.
UPDATE: A reader (they do exist) alerts me to Mr Jones's own views on the eco-benefits of Welsh food: "They also know that it has been produced reasonably locally and is not contributing to excessive carbon emissions by being flown half way across the world."
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Murphy ready for his close-up
I'm not the only person to have noticed how the taxpayer-funded Wales Office annual report features photographs only of Labour politicians from both Westminster and Cardiff Bay during a chapter labelled Promoting Wales.
Tory MP David Jones raised the issue with Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy today: "I can't help noticing that each and every one of those politicians happens to be a Labour politician.
"I was just wondering maybe next time when the report is produced possibly I and some of my colleagues on this side of the committee room and our colleagues could possibly feature in some of these photographs as well in the interests of equity."
Mr Murphy: "Not a problem - and I'd be more than happy to have a photograph taken with any Welsh member of parliament - the only trouble is of course there happen to be more of ours....
"It's not a trouble really, is it though? Not everybody wants a picture of me, of course...."
Tory MP David Jones raised the issue with Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy today: "I can't help noticing that each and every one of those politicians happens to be a Labour politician.
"I was just wondering maybe next time when the report is produced possibly I and some of my colleagues on this side of the committee room and our colleagues could possibly feature in some of these photographs as well in the interests of equity."
Mr Murphy: "Not a problem - and I'd be more than happy to have a photograph taken with any Welsh member of parliament - the only trouble is of course there happen to be more of ours....
"It's not a trouble really, is it though? Not everybody wants a picture of me, of course...."
Thursday, 3 July 2008
LCO and out
Labour have picked up the suggestion by a Tory frontbencher, highlighted here 48 hours ago, that debating the transfer of powers to the Welsh Assembly isn't as exciting as you might think.
Gwenda Thomas, the Assembly Government's deputy social services Minister, said:
"I’m deeply concerned that a Conservative front bench spokesperson on Welsh Affairs is saying that the parliamentary scrutiny process of a vitally important piece of legislation is ‘tedious’.
"The aim of this LCO is to devolve the relevant powers to the National Assembly for Wales, which will allow the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government to legislate to achieve a fairer and more consistent approach to charging for all adult recipients of non-residential social services across Wales."
David Jones will doubtless reconsider his views and agree that the whole process is absolutely fascinating.
Gwenda Thomas, the Assembly Government's deputy social services Minister, said:
"I’m deeply concerned that a Conservative front bench spokesperson on Welsh Affairs is saying that the parliamentary scrutiny process of a vitally important piece of legislation is ‘tedious’.
"The aim of this LCO is to devolve the relevant powers to the National Assembly for Wales, which will allow the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government to legislate to achieve a fairer and more consistent approach to charging for all adult recipients of non-residential social services across Wales."
David Jones will doubtless reconsider his views and agree that the whole process is absolutely fascinating.
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
If you can't stand the heat
The Conservative commitment to making devolution work doesn't extend to making it interesting for some of their leading MPs.
David Jones, the party's Welsh affairs spokesman, was less than enthralled to spend a sunny evening discussing powers to give the Welsh Assembly the power to legislate on domicillary care.
It was, reports the Clwyd West MP, "particularly tedious". This may surprise you but he said he'd rather be outside in the park enjoying the sun than debating a draft legislative competence order.
The Clwyd West MP wrote on his blog: "Gloriously warm day in London, the sort that makes you wish you were outside enjoying the sun in St James's Park, rather than indoors debating a particularly tedious draft Order in Council."
Mr Jones must hope this doesn't harm his promotion prospects for the next Tory frontbench reshuffle.
A high boredom threshold, an inexhaustible love of constitutional reform jargon ("Barnett consequentials" to choose one phrase offered in reaction to today's Tory plans) and an ability to contemplate one's own navel at length are as essential for any ambitious Welsh politician as a heat-resistant anorak.
It has been a long, intense day. What a treat it is when the only "third reading" around involves another instalment of Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka. As Sir Derek Jacobi would doubtless put it, isn't that a pip?
David Jones, the party's Welsh affairs spokesman, was less than enthralled to spend a sunny evening discussing powers to give the Welsh Assembly the power to legislate on domicillary care.
It was, reports the Clwyd West MP, "particularly tedious". This may surprise you but he said he'd rather be outside in the park enjoying the sun than debating a draft legislative competence order.
The Clwyd West MP wrote on his blog: "Gloriously warm day in London, the sort that makes you wish you were outside enjoying the sun in St James's Park, rather than indoors debating a particularly tedious draft Order in Council."
Mr Jones must hope this doesn't harm his promotion prospects for the next Tory frontbench reshuffle.
A high boredom threshold, an inexhaustible love of constitutional reform jargon ("Barnett consequentials" to choose one phrase offered in reaction to today's Tory plans) and an ability to contemplate one's own navel at length are as essential for any ambitious Welsh politician as a heat-resistant anorak.
It has been a long, intense day. What a treat it is when the only "third reading" around involves another instalment of Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka. As Sir Derek Jacobi would doubtless put it, isn't that a pip?
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Respite
By way of respite from 42 days, missing secret documents, resigning shadow Home Secretaries, Mr and Mrs Rooney and all that I spent an hour or so plugging in to the Welsh Affairs Committee this morning.
MPs on the committee took evidence from First Minister Rhodri Morgan as part of their inquiry into cross-border services after devolution.
It was intriguing that the most hostile questioning came from Labour MPs Albert Owen and Martyn Jones; the gentlest came from the Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams, who bowled a several long hops to Mr Morgan on waiting times. (The Plaid/Labour coalition crosses borders where its reputation on public services is at stake)
Tory MP David Jones apologised before asking Mr Morgan whether his Health Minister had discussed with him a potential conflict of interest over the future of neurosurgery in south Wales.
Edwina Hart shelved plans to close a unit in Swansea used by her constituents - a unit she had campaigned to save before becoming Health Minister. Mr Jones argues that under the ministerial code she should have raised a potential conflict of interests.
The code says: "Where Ministers have to take decisions on their own portfolios which might have an impact on their own constituencies, they should, take particular care to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
"Where Ministers are uncertain about whether a conflict arises between their Ministerial and constituency capacity they should consult the First Minister. Where necessary Ministers should refer matters to the First Minister for determination."
So had Mrs Hart raised the issue with the First Minister? He says no. "I certainly don't recall one because I don't think there would have been one to have."
He added: "I don't think there is a potential conflict of interest."
Mr Jones had hoped to ask Mrs Hart in person, but she declined an invitation to appear before the committee, much to the annoyance of some of her Labour colleagues.
MPs on the committee took evidence from First Minister Rhodri Morgan as part of their inquiry into cross-border services after devolution.
It was intriguing that the most hostile questioning came from Labour MPs Albert Owen and Martyn Jones; the gentlest came from the Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams, who bowled a several long hops to Mr Morgan on waiting times. (The Plaid/Labour coalition crosses borders where its reputation on public services is at stake)
Tory MP David Jones apologised before asking Mr Morgan whether his Health Minister had discussed with him a potential conflict of interest over the future of neurosurgery in south Wales.
Edwina Hart shelved plans to close a unit in Swansea used by her constituents - a unit she had campaigned to save before becoming Health Minister. Mr Jones argues that under the ministerial code she should have raised a potential conflict of interests.The code says: "Where Ministers have to take decisions on their own portfolios which might have an impact on their own constituencies, they should, take particular care to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
"Where Ministers are uncertain about whether a conflict arises between their Ministerial and constituency capacity they should consult the First Minister. Where necessary Ministers should refer matters to the First Minister for determination."
So had Mrs Hart raised the issue with the First Minister? He says no. "I certainly don't recall one because I don't think there would have been one to have."
He added: "I don't think there is a potential conflict of interest."
Mr Jones had hoped to ask Mrs Hart in person, but she declined an invitation to appear before the committee, much to the annoyance of some of her Labour colleagues.
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Tory cats and pigeons
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has set the cat among the Tory pigeons with this attack on devolution.
His views are shared by the Monmouth MP David Davies, leaving Conwy's David Jones as the sole pro-devolution Welsh Conservative voice in the Commons (and I think he might quibble with that description).
Whatever you think of Stephen Crabb's views, there are some interesting thoughts there on the nature of devolved politics:
"Devolution has created a politics which is based overwhelmingly around calls for greater public expenditure and freebies for various sections of the population......in the absence of any mechanism to ensure a line of accountability between Welsh taxes and Welsh expenditure, all Assembly politicians are incentivised to ramp-up calls for greater spending in Wales."
That applies across all parties, so there is limited meaningful debate on the size of the state in Wales. Perhaps Ron Davies has succeeded in creating "inclusive politics" after all.
His views are shared by the Monmouth MP David Davies, leaving Conwy's David Jones as the sole pro-devolution Welsh Conservative voice in the Commons (and I think he might quibble with that description).
Whatever you think of Stephen Crabb's views, there are some interesting thoughts there on the nature of devolved politics:
"Devolution has created a politics which is based overwhelmingly around calls for greater public expenditure and freebies for various sections of the population......in the absence of any mechanism to ensure a line of accountability between Welsh taxes and Welsh expenditure, all Assembly politicians are incentivised to ramp-up calls for greater spending in Wales."
That applies across all parties, so there is limited meaningful debate on the size of the state in Wales. Perhaps Ron Davies has succeeded in creating "inclusive politics" after all.
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