TALK OF the Cardiff government undertaking a sea-change in its industrial policy was somewhat overwhelmed by publication of a report on that most sensitive of subjects – the level of expenses paid in governmental sources, writes Clive Betts from the Assembly press gallery.
Briefly, International Business Wales, the successor to the apparently-successful Welsh Development Agency, paid out far too much in “exes”, particularly to its overseas officials.
We’ve heard of the hundreds of claims for which no paperwork existed.
Really ?
Join the club.
Just like old-style journalistic expenses. Where the exes made up for pay which was significantly below that received by a teacher.
The same as for MPs. Where exes made up for pay increases that were not given
Except, a senior Assembly press officer, hearing me mouthing such comments, said bluntly, “You obviously haven’t read the report.”
Which is true. I’d only heard what those of my colleagues who have were saying.
In fact, the report goes on far beyond exes. It basically points out that the government’s entire policy of attracting overseas investment though international offices had been a failure.
Which is presumably where Ieuan Wyn Jones’s briefing of the Western Mail for Monday’s edition came from.
He knew that journalists were about to write the following day that large unjustified (ie, no backing paperwork) exes were being paid out to officials for a policy that was then failing to deliver.
Clearly, this was a story that could run and run. And in doing so run into the ground Plaid Cymru’s belief that they were doing a good job running one of the biggest government departments.
Cambria was purposefully excluded from the briefing. Which might not be too surprising as we come out only every two months, which compares poorly with the Daily Post and Western Mail.
But Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams had read the report. And she’s had an official briefing.
Her point when talking to the press was simple. It was obvious that the Welsh Labour-Plaid government is “confused”. While Ieuan Wyn Jones, the economic affairs minister, says one thing, Rhodri Morgan, the first minister and an expert on economics, says the near-opposite.
Ms Williams said, “In a highly complex global market, we cannot afford to send mixed messages to investors.” She sent on, “To announce there will be no more grants for inward investors is reckless in the extreme. There may well be no more grants, or far less.”
She pointed out that the Minister for Economy and Transport had signalled an end to grant incentives for investors and a new focus on skills.
“But last week Government slashed the post-16 education budget by 5%, cut £7m from business start-up funding, and slashed infrastructure budgets,” said Ms Williams.
“And tomorrow Rhodri Morgan will speaks to UK investors and is billed as outlining the incentives on offer in Wales. These conflicting messages will leave potential investors with little confidence that Welsh Government has a clear strategy. When confidence is low, clarity is vital.”
Now this is only Kirsty’s view of the situation. But no-one has told Cambria anything else – although Plaid had a chance. So, it’s only Kirsty’s view which is given.
