Chris Bryant (Rhondda, Labour) to the Prime Minister
"He will know that one of the most important things for protecting our armed forces is ensuring that they have the best training possible, technically and in military expertise. Will he therefore commit himself and his Government unambiguously today to the new defence training college in St Athan in south Wales, which would save lives in our armed forces and provide 5,000 jobs in south Wales?Chris Bryant jumps in with wrong statistics (PMQs as reported below).
At the St Athan cpo Inquiry Metrix gave 2000 jobs (plus 1000 military staff), not Bryant's 5000.
The total jobs planned by Metrix is of course many fewer than currently engaged
at the training facilities St Athan would replace.
Why does big-mouth Bryant claim it would "save lives"?? Seems he has taken up the position of cheer leader for arms dealers and the privatisation of war! Perhaps he is looking to line his own pockets with a job with Metrix along with ex MP John Smith ..
He added "We need to get through to David Cameron that the Metrix case is far from
"incredibly strong". Rather, it's high cost and incredibly over-blown. Privatising training would jeopardise the safety of the troops and cost more.
In England, the Transport Minister has frozen a whole number of transport projects.
Is the WAG Minister going to do likewise, including the new access road just
advertised for tenders. Which of our AMs will challenge Ieuan Wyn Jones to accept
that the Defence Review now due to report at end of the year may cancel the
Metirx project, so it's irresponsible and reprehensible to cause firms to undertake
premature work in tendering?
Bryant: Wales needs St Athan
Jun 10 2010 by Our Correspondent, Rhondda Leader
MP CHRIS Bryant challenged the new Prime Minister to pledge to build a
military training academy in South Wales.
But David Cameron said he couldn't confirm or rule out the siting of a
defence academy, near Barry, until after an MoD review.
The Conservative leader then turned the question back on the Rhondda MP and
his Labour colleagues, accusing them of squandering the chance to complete
the planned St Athan centre while they were in power.
Mr Bryant, who was re-elected last month, and served as Europe Minister
under ex-PM Gordon Brown, told the Commons: "A lot of young men from the
Rhondda, and other South Wales valleys, are still serving in Iraq,
Afghanistan and elsewhere at the moment.
"The most important way to protect our armed forces is to make sure they
have the best training possible.
"Will [Mr Cameron], therefore, commit his government, unambiguously, to the
new defence training college in St Athan, which would save lives and provide
5,000 jobs."
Mr Cameron, facing his first weekly Prime Minister's Questions session,
said: "Everybody who has spent time in South Wales, and spent time with the
military, will know there is an incredibly strong case for the St Athan
establishment.
"But he [Mr Bryant] will understand that we have got to have a proper
strategic defence review. We haven't had one since 1998, and everything has
to be included in that review.
"But if he feels so strongly about this, and given that he was in the last
government, there was the opportunity to give the project the go-ahead
before the last election - and they didn't do it."
Defence dominated Mr Cameron's debut Prime Minister's Questions, which he
opened by paying tribute to Corporal Stephen Curley, 26, Marine Scott
Taylor, 21, and 20-year-old Gunner Zak Cusack, who were killed in
Afghanistan that week.
Belfast North MP Nigel Dodds raised the issue of soldiers who return from
service with injuries or psychological trauma, and asked that they "get the
care and compassion they need and deserve - despite all the budgetary
pressures."
Mr Cameron said his health and defence teams were working together to
improve care for ex-servicemen and women.
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