Remember back last May when, during the General Election campaign, David Cameron promised to make himself available at least once a year to be questioned by Assembly members?
After he became Prime Minister, he said the plan was part of a ‘respect agenda‘ that he wanted to develop between London and Cardiff Bay. He also told Welsh Conservatives that
I will be a Prime Minister who acts on the voice of the Welsh people and will maintain strong relationships with the Assembly Government. That’s why I’m happy to come to the Assembly each year and make myself available to answer questions on any subject.
I’m only bringing this up now because Assembly sources have told me there are no current plans for Mr Cameron’s visit. One had been provisionally arranged last year, but had to be cancelled.
And by my calculation, if the Prime Minister wants to fulfil his ‘once a year’ promise, he has just eight working weeks in which to do so.
I’ve asked the government whether or not there are any plans that the Assembly commission doesn’t know about. I’ll update when I get an answer.
** UPDATE 1530 ***
A Downing Street spokesman has told me that the policy is not to comment on the Prime Minister’s diary commitments and travel plans.
After a couple of phone calls and other conversations I’ve been able to establish that the PM had arranged a date to visit the Assembly early last term but cancelled after the birth of his daughter.
I understand there are no other firm plans,in place and certainly no date that’s been pencilled in, but that ‘it’s being looked at’ and the PM expects to be back in Wales in the near future.
ITVAdrian 
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