Polished promotion to the platform

Last Tuesday was the 'Queen's Speech' and marked the annual visit of the mahogany veneered Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain. Mr. Hain is very much the 'smooth operator', but is rather more the second hand car salesman type than the 'diamond life, loverboy' version as made famous by songstress Sade in her hit of the same title.

Anyway, the SOS delivered his statement from the 'top deck' of the Senedd (which is to say, that area which is reserved for the Presiding Officer and his officials). This surprised me somewhat as according to the Senedd seating plan, a seat is normally reserved for him over in the Plaid Cymru Group area beside Assembly Member Dr. Dai Lloyd.
Why had he been moved ?

The accoustics in the Senedd are 'whispering gallery' style superb and one can be heard clearly from every part of the magic circle, so surely this 'promotion to the platform' had nothing to do with improving sound quality. Quel mystery !

Perhaps it may have been more to do with the fact that had the SOS resumed his reserved seat, the TV camera panning in on him would also have picked up the Assembly's two independent members, Trish Law and John Marek who both occupy the seats immediately behind ?

This could have been decidedly unnerving for Welsh Labour.
Whilst Mr. Hain would have been stood to the fore, setting out why he believes the Government of Wales Act to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, the backdrop would have provided two constant reminders of Labour's arrogance and obsession with control.

I wonder where the request for the 'move' came from ?