Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:22 pm on 7 February 2017.
Yes, I can assure the Member of that and I would agree that there are uncertainties across not just the automotive sector but advanced manufacturing as a whole about the impact that a hard Brexit could have on the Welsh economy. For that reason, we have been consistent in our approach in saying that Wales requires full and unfettered access to the single market. It’s interesting and it’s important to bear in mind that 30 per cent of Ford’s European sales are in the UK. The UK is its biggest European market and Ford makes 68 per cent of UK automotive engines, 40 per cent of which are made here in Wales. Wales and our Bridgend site are vital to the company, not just within the UK, but also across Europe.