Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:25 pm on 7 February 2017.
Can I thank Suzy Davies for her questions, and say that there are key dates, and that the five-year plan is, of course, essential? Len McCluskey has rightly asked for further information concerning the five-year plan to be able to share with the workforce, who are rightly concerned. But, 2020 is also a key date and we’re seeking assurance from Ford and we’re willing to work with them and invest, if necessary, in opportunities to make sure that there is a long-term sustainable future for the plant. We have already worked with Ford Bridgend in investing more than £140 million at the site since 1978, and this has included support for skills. It’s included support for capital investment, improvements to infrastructure and also environmental improvements. We will do what we can in order to make sure that the plant has a strong and viable future and capitalises on the incredible productivity levels that we’ve seen in recent times. But, we’re keen to ensure that the competitiveness of the plant matches that of its European counterparts, as I’ve said. We will be nimble in our approach in terms of what support may be required, were Ford to come to us with a request for support, particularly to take advantage of new and emerging technologies. We offer a range of support mechanisms to assist businesses—large and small—to take advantage of new technology, and I’m sure that this is something that Ford would be very keen to explore with us.
In terms of stimulating demand for petrol engines, as I’ve already outlined, the relative decline in demand for the diesel engine following the Volkswagen scandal has given rise to an increasing demand for petrol engines. Ford have reiterated that the anticipated production volume of engines from Bridgend remains healthy in the upcoming years, and I think we should take confidence from that, with associated labour requirements expected to be similar to today’s levels.