WELSH Secretary Cheryl Gillan is set to face more questions from business leaders in South Wales about the Westminster Government's decision not to extend its rail electrification programme further.

Earlier this year the Conservative-Liberal Democrat administration announced a £1 billion revamp of the Great Western line would go-ahead, cutting the time of rail journeys between London and Cardiff by up to 20 minutes.

Trains headed further west will then switch to diesel power, with Government officials insisting upgrading the line to Swansea would not speed up trains any further.

The decision angered many firms in Wales' second city, which has suffered a number of job losses over the past 12 months.

Business officials in Swansea plan to quiz Mrs Gillan about the issue as well as the state of the Welsh economy and public spending cuts, when she addresses Swansea Business Club's next lunch in June.

Club president Spencer Feeney, also the editor of local newspaper The South Wales Evening Post, said: "Cheryl Gillan has been in frontline national politics for almost 20 years, so she will bring with her a wealth of experience.

"Her knowledge of the workings of Westminster runs deep, having held a number of high-profile roles including Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

"There is bound to be huge demand to hear what the holder of one of Wales' top political posts has to say at such a crucial time for the country's economic and political future.’’ Last March, the decision to end the electrification at Cardiff caused outrage in West Wales, with former Labour AM for Swansea West Andrew Davies calling it a "kick in the teeth’’ for the region.

A plan to electrify the entire Great Western line was announced by the previous Labour government in 2009.

But Conservative MP Mrs Gillan criticised the previous administration for failing to deliver any of the scheme while it was in power for 13 years.

She is due to address Swansea Business Club at the Village Hotel in Swansea on June 17.

Work on the electrifying the line is set to be completed by 2017.