Scottish Affairs Committee take evidence on Blacklisting in Cardiff Bay
20 November 2013
Formal evidence and press conference to be held in Welsh Assembly.
- Inquiry: The impact of the Bedroom Tax & other changes to housing benefit in Scotland
- Scottish Affairs Committee
On Thursday 21 November the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee will visit Cardiff to take formal evidence from Welsh Assembly Minister for Finance Jane Hutt AM, and hold a series of informal meetings in its inquiries into blacklisting and the "bedroom tax".
The Committee has been investigating historic allegations of blacklisting in the construction industry, questions about compensating the people affected and holding the companies involved to account, and has also heard some evidence that the practice is still continuing.
The Welsh Assembly is providing the accommodation and broadcasting services to the Scottish Affairs Committee that it does for its own committees and as it regularly does for the Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee. This contrasts with the Scottish Parliament which has repeatedly refused permission for the Scottish Affairs Committee to meet in Holyrood.
This meeting is open to press and the public in the same way as Welsh Assembly committee meetings are. The Committee will hold a press conference immediately after the session to discuss its findings.
Chair's comments
Ian Davidson MP, Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said:
"The Committee is continuing its investigation into allegations of blacklisting in the construction industry, in particular into the unresolved questions about compensating the people affected and holding the companies involved to account. We are very grateful to the Welsh Assembly for providing the facilities for us to hold a meeting and press conference within the Assembly and for giving valuable evidence to our inquiry.
The Welsh Government seems to have done much more on this issue than the Scottish Government, and we are very keen to learn about the action the Welsh Assembly is taking, within its powers and discretion, to address these issues - and a range of other issues including the bedroom tax - and compare this to the action being taken in other parts of the United Kingdom.
The Welsh Assembly has also kindly given us permission to hold a press conference in the Assembly immediately after the meeting to discuss our findings."
Witnesses
Thursday 21 November, Committee Room 2, Y Senedd, Welsh Assembly
At 2pm
- Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance, Welsh Assembly Government
A press conference will be held afterwards in the Media Briefing Room.