Conduct Of The Chairman Of The Welsh Development Agency

EDM number 1608 in 1992-93, proposed by Rhodri Morgan on 15/03/1993.

That this deplores the actions of Dr Gwyn Jones, Chairman until 31st March of the Welsh Development Agency, in turning round at Heathrow Airport and returning home, abandoning his final inward investment mission to Japan, which had been arranged for 7th to 14 March at very considerable expenditure in staff time, company goodwill and in financial cost; considers that any chairman of the Agency worth his salt would have the professionalism and dedication to the job of bringing Japanese investment to Wales, not to allow a delayed departure time of four hours from Heathrow caused by a bomb scare to deter him from keeping to the arranged itinerary; is concerned that this slack behaviour on Dr Jones' part is bound to lead to a noticeable deterioration in the previously excellent relationships between Japanese business and Wales; calls on the Secretary of State for Wales to admonish the Chairman for his dereliction of duty; and urges the Secretary of State to ensure that Dr Jones' successor as Chairman is the kind of person who will keep to carefully arranged schedules and timetables and will thereby make good the damage done by Dr Jones' irresponsibility.

This motion has been signed by a total of 20 MPs.