Assembly urged not to help BAe

BAe wants £25m for the A3XX wing assembly contract

A Welsh pressure group has attacked the National Assembly for thinking of supporting BAe Systems expansion of its north Wales wing plant.

Cynefin y Werin/Common Ground - an alliance of Welsh social justice and human rights groups - has highlighted BAe's involvement in arms production.

If the assembly is serious sustainable development, it will avoid investing in companies like BAe

Stephen Thomas, Centre for International Affairs

The organisation, which is based at the Welsh Centre for International Affairs in the Temple of Peace in Cardiff, said that BAE should not be given any money by the assembly.

BAe has recently re-submitted a £25m bid for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) to the assembly, which it said would secure 1,400 new jobs at its plant in Broughton, Flintshire.

The company aims to create a £100m factory extension to build the wings for the new A3XX passenger plane.

Its initial application was turned down by the Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board (WIDAB), a decision ratified by Assembly First Secretary Rhodri Morgan.

Common Ground has backed Mr Morgan's decision - but for ethical rather than economic reasons.

Stephen Thomas, the director of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs, said: "If the assembly is serious about its commitment to sustainable development, they will avoid investing in companies like BAe Systems."

'Ethical manner'

Common Ground's report said the assembly has already taken a lead by using fair trade products in its catering and by promoting the Wales Fair Trade Forum.

But it said it should now go further and encourage Welsh companies to act in an ethical manner.

It said although around 5,000 Welsh jobs are involved in arms manufacture, the assembly should state that arms manufacturing is against the idea of sustainable development.

It urged the assembly should take immediate steps to stop promoting the arms trade.