WHAT an odd affair the television programme Question Time was this week.

As regular readers will know, the BBC's flagship political debate show was recorded in Newport on Thursday.

As a devolved nation, one would have perhaps expected a substantial Welsh contingent on the programme's panel and perhaps a few Welsh-related questions.

Instead, there was one Welsh MP on the panel.

The Welsh Government was criticised by not represented.

There was one token question relating to the Welsh NHS - the answers to which highlighted an utter lack of understanding of Welsh affairs the non-Welsh panellists.

We do not suggest the panel should have been entirely Welsh or that all questions should have been pertinent to Wales. After all, the programme is broadcast to the entire UK.

But it seems a little pointless to take a programme like Question Time to a devolved nation and then virtually ignore the fact that it was being broadcast from Wales.

Some audience members have told us they were actively discouraged from referring to Welsh affairs by the programme's producers.

As we say, it seems an odd affair.

There is little or no understanding in most of England of the devolved powers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The national media plays a part in that and the BBC has been criticised before on this issue.

Question Time - a programme that now looks a tired format anyway - simply reinforced that ignorance this week.