Question
6. Whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on Wales’s role in the UK’s defence.
Answer
I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on defence and many other matters. We are fully funding the £15 billion defence investment plan, strengthening our armed forces, investing in cutting-edge technology and creating nearly 60,000 additional industry jobs across the UK. Continued uncertainty around the Welsh Government’s approach to defence, and delays to important projects such as DARC—Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability—risk deterring investment and jobs from Wales, as well as risking our national security.14% point-scoring 7% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (38/100)
The reply says the Secretary of State holds regular discussions with the Welsh Government on defence and briefly mentions Wales's defence role. It does not say how, how often, or in what forum those discussions take place, so the question about the nature of the engagement is answered only in general terms. A member of the public would probably need to ask again for specifics before they could understand what engagement actually happens.
Verdict: AMBER (35/100)
The reply addresses the question about the Secretary of State's engagement with the Welsh Government on defence, but only in general terms. It says there are regular discussions, without giving dates, the topics covered, or any outcomes. Much of the rest of the reply makes points about Wales-specific defence issues rather than describing the engagement itself, so the question is only partly answered and the person who asked would likely need to follow up for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Secretary of State's engagement with the Welsh Government on Wales's role in the UK's defence? | Addressed | Hedged | Statement 1 describes the general pattern of engagement, stating the Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on defence, which is the convention-appropriate answer to a 'nature of engagement' question. However, it gives no detail on format, forum, frequency, or what Wales's specific defence role involves, so the specificity is hedged. Statement 7 touches on Wales's defence role through DARC but is mainly point-scoring rather than describing engagement. |
| What is the nature of the Secretary of State's engagement with the Welsh Government on Wales's role in the UK's defence? | Addressed | Hedged | Statement 1 describes the general nature of the Secretary of State's engagement as regular discussions with the Welsh Government on defence, which is the conventional answer to this kind of item, though it gives no detail on content or outcomes. Statements 5 and 6 add context on Wales-specific defence issues (DARC delays, uncertainty over the Welsh Government's approach), but they are mainly point-scoring and do not describe the engagement itself. |