The Welsh Government Business Minister has refused to make a statement setting out its position regarding the forthcoming conjoined public inquiry in Mid Wales.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, requested that the Welsh Government make a statement clarifying its views ahead of the inquiry because he said the people of Mid Wales had ‘a right to know’ where its government stood on this issue; an issue which was primarily created by its renewable energy policy guidance, TAN 8.
However, the Business Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM, said it would be ‘totally inappropriate’ for the Welsh Government to make a statement and she also refused to allow any government time for it to be debated.
Commenting, Mr George said:
“The response from the Minister is very disappointing but not surprising given the Welsh Government’s previous lack of support for issues affecting Mid Wales.
“While this may be a UK Government initiated inquiry, I know Government Ministers have been very quick and very vocal to express their views on non-devolved issues affecting Welsh citizens in the past and I don’t see why this inquiry should somehow be treated differently.
“After all its Welsh Government policy through TAN 8 that has put us here in the first place and that should not be forgotten.
“Local communities in Montgomeryshire are very clear in what they want – we do not want the industrialisation of Mid Wales to take place and we want our government to standby us in taking that decision.
“A statement showing clear Welsh Government support for our position would have been appreciated right across Mid Wales but its patently clear that when it comes to the Welsh Government, Mid Wales is now on its own.”