London arms fair DSEI attended by Welsh government

A controversial arms fair is being attended by the Welsh government again this year.

It follows a review into whether the administration should continue going to the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) event.

A "small number of officials" are attending the London event, the Welsh government said.

Plaid Cymru criticised the Welsh Labour government for spending public money on "this contemptible event".

But the Welsh Conservatives said it was right for officials to go.

Aerospace Wales, a trade association, is receiving financial support from the Welsh government to attend the event, which started in London on Tuesday.

DSEI is held every two years and is supported by the UK government's Ministry of Defence.

The Conservative UK government has invited 62 countries to DSEI, including countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Colombia, which were on the government's 2019 human rights watch list.

The Welsh government has had a presence at the show over the last 10 years, including a stand in 2019. Ministers attended in 2015 and 2017.

Rather than have its own stand at this year's four day event, the government has paid for Aerospace Forum Wales to "lead Wales' presence".

The forum describes itself as the "trade association for all companies operating in the aerospace, defence and space sectors in Wales" and will have its own stand.

The Welsh government said a "small number" of officials have also been sent to support companies "with a presence in Wales such as Airbus, Thales, General Dynamics, Jacobs and Qinetiq".

The spokesman added: "These companies are a major part of Wales aerospace, cyber security and defence sectors which has a collective value of at least £4bn and employs more than 18,000 people in Wales.

"Welsh government officials will also be engaging with companies looking to invest in Wales and will be meeting a number of SMEs regarding investment, innovation and job creation opportunities."

John Walley, chief executive of Aerospace Wales, said: "We believe it's important for the UK and Wales from a national security point of view, I don't think it's for us to abrogate responsibility for defending the country."

A UK government spokeswoman said: "Defence and security exports support 250,000 jobs across the UK and contribute over £1.8 billion to the economy.

"We always undertake strict checks before inviting foreign governments to export summits, including DSEI 2021."

Six companies were supported to join the Welsh government at the 2019 event.

Speaking at the time, First Minister Mark Drakeford said he would review his government's presence at future events, but said officials were present "to support important Welsh companies that operate, not directly in the arms area, but in other issues, such as cyber security".

The Welsh government has since confirmed that Radnor Range, a weapons and explosives testing range, was one of the companies on its stand.

In a Freedom of Information response to the Declassified UK website, the Welsh government said it spent £85,350 on the DSEI 2019 event itself and £9,851.28 on expenses for 12 officials.

A Welsh Conservative spokesman said: "This vitally important sector is worth more than £19 billion to the UK economy and Wales gets to reap the benefits from the jobs that the sector provides."

"It's right the Welsh government are in attendance to support Welsh businesses at the event, and we hope that any future cooperation agreements with Plaid Cymru does not mean leaving Welsh business in the sector high and dry."

Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on international affairs, Heledd Fychan, said: "Plaid Cymru condemns any action that supports the development and sale of weapons of mass destruction.

"The Welsh government should be working to prevent such action, but instead are putting public money towards the continued support of this contemptible event."