Bishop backs Airbus campaign

Doubts remain over a grant for the Airbus plant at Broughton

The Bishop of St Asaph has joined those calling on the National Assembly to give a £25m grant to the Airbus factory in north Wales.

The application, by BAe Systems at Broughton in Flintshire, was reconsidered by the official panel responsible for approving grants.

The Welsh Assembly has already turned down one application for the cash, which BAe says is essential if the plant is to build the wings for the new Airbus "superjumbo" airliner.

The Right Rev John Davies said the danger of the wings being built somewhere else in Europe was the cause of much anxiety locally.

"Those of us who have a pastoral concern for the people of the area feel we have a duty to speak on their behalf," he said.

Warning

The Bishop has written to First Secretary Rhodri Morgan urging him to grant the £25m requested for by BAe for the development of the A3XX project.

The 500-seater airbus could create up to 1,400 new jobs at the Flintshire plant.

It is thought the application was originally refused because central government is already loaning the company half a billion pounds.

BAe insists that money cannot be spent on expanding Broughton to accomodate the extra work and has asked the Assembly to think again.

The company has warned the work could be lost to Germany if Broughton does not play a full part in the A3XX project.

Grant applications like this are considered by the Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board - a panel of industry experts.

Their decision however can be overruled by the First Secretary.