Question
It is disappointing to see the Plaid Welsh Government decide to delay defence investment decisions in Wales, including on DARC—the deep space advanced radar capability—in Pembrokeshire. Welsh Labour will always take the defence of Wales seriously, even if Plaid will not. Can the Minister update me on the Welsh Government’s commitment to establishing defence technical excellence colleges in Wales, so we can get on with training up the next generation of defence experts?
Answer
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that Labour will always put the defence and security of the Welsh people first. That is why we announced last week that, if the Welsh Government continue to drag their feet on committing to a Wales defence technical excellence college, the UK Government stand ready to step in where Plaid will not. With the Scottish Government already making clear their commitment to DTECs in Scotland, I strongly urge the Welsh Plaid Cymru Government to come to the table and work with us, so that we can protect our security and create the jobs of the future.30% point-scoring 40% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (65/100)
The reply addresses the question directly. It indicates that the Welsh Government has not yet committed to a Welsh Development Tourism and Events Capability (DTEC), and that the UK Government will step in where it does not, with the Scottish DTEC commitment offered for comparison. The Welsh Government's status is implied rather than stated outright, so a member of the public may want a clearer confirmation of that position before treating the matter as settled.
Verdict: AMBER (72/100)
The reply addresses the single question component directly. It states the current position on a Wales DTEC, names a specific mechanism (the UK Government standing ready to step in), and contrasts this with Scotland's existing commitment. It gives less detail on timing or on how the UK intervention would work, so the asker may still want more specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the current position on the Welsh Government's commitment to establishing defence technical excellence colleges in Wales? | Addressed | Direct | The reply gives the current position: the Welsh Government have not yet committed to a Welsh DTEC ("continue to drag their feet"), and the UK Government will step in if they do not ("stand ready to step in where Plaid will not"), with the Scottish DTEC commitment offered as comparison. The WG's status is only implied rather than stated outright, which keeps this from being a fuller answer. |
| What is the current position on the Welsh Government's commitment to establishing defence technical excellence colleges in Wales? | Addressed | Direct | The reply states that the Welsh Government is still dragging its feet on committing to a Wales DTEC, which describes the current position, and names a concrete mechanism in the UK Government standing ready to step in. It also contrasts this with Scotland's existing commitment and urges the Welsh Government to engage. |