Sacked minister's apology to AMs

Sacked minister Alun Davies has written a letter of apology to the five AMs who were targeted by his request for civil servants to find out how much each of them receives in farm subsidy payments.

First Minister Carwyn Jones, who apologised in the Senedd yesterday, ruled that Mr Davies' behaviour was unacceptable and sacked him. The former minister has now written to Andrew RT Davies, Kirsty Williams, Antoinette Sandbach, William Powell and Llyr Gruffydd.

His letter reads: "I am writing to you to offer my apologies to you. My decision to seek the CAP payment schedule was an error on my part and I regret my actions.

"The purpose of my request was simply to provide background information and I can offer my absolute assurance that at no time did I intend to use this information, neither for political gain nor for public use."

Many politicians in Cardiff Bay, including the First Minister, have concluded that Alun Davies' request for information, in an email headed OAQs, was to give him ammunition for use at Oral Assembly Questions.