3. Urgent Question: 2 Sisters Food Group

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:42 pm on 2 November 2016.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 2:42, 2 November 2016

Yes, I can and I will, of course, meet with the company along with Dawn Bowden and the First Minister, and I’ll also be liaising closely with my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for environment and natural resources in an attempt to ensure that our response is across several departments.

The announcement gives, I think, very significant cause for concern for those staff who are working in the company’s retail packaging operation in the Merthyr Tydfil site. The other 700 jobs, we’ve been assured, are safe. However, we’ll be working with key partners to ensure that there is a co-ordinated response to any job losses after the 45-day consultation period expires.

I think we also need to understand what the logic is behind the company’s decision for the very reasons that the Member has outlined, especially given that the company signed up to conditions of support with Welsh Government that meant that jobs would be secure at that site up until 2021.