1. Urgent Question: Ford in Bridgend

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 1:56 pm on 1 March 2017.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 1:56, 1 March 2017

I do think there is a need—[Interruption.] I do believe there is a need for Ford to better communicate to its employees, to its members, the long-term objectives for the plant. That is the reason that I’ve spoken both with the unions and with the vice-president; it’s the reason why I will be bringing them together. Because what was presented today was a worst-case scenario based on a hypothetical situation. The fact of the matter is, for the automotive sector, you have to look long term at what products are coming down the line, but there is a worst-case scenario for any manufacturer if you don’t secure new products. The key question for us, and what we are focused on, is actually securing those new products—not just talking about what opportunities there are, but holding Ford to account for their promise that they’re looking at new opportunities. They may well be looking at new opportunities; we wish to know what exactly they are and when we can expect them to be secured.