3. 2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:27 pm on 27 June 2017.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 2:27, 27 June 2017

Well, of course, Andrew R.T. Davies does recognise the discourtesy—the lack of information, the lack of warning for this devastating news—to the Welsh Government last Wednesday afternoon, and the fact that the Cabinet Secretary was able to say that he was going to then speak, with the First Minister, with the chief executive of Tesco—and, course, meetings that all AMs and MPs, across parties, had engaged with with Tesco. I think it is very important to recognise that Tesco have reiterated that this decision wasn’t a reflection of performance or of doing business in Cardiff. The site has been very successful and, indeed, the fact that the customer service industry is particularly strong in Wales—Cardiff is proving itself a successful and growing location for operations across a broad range of sub-sectors. But this, in terms of the impact it has on the employees—the devastating impact—. You know the Welsh Contact Centre Forum is working very closely to see how it can, with Tesco and the affected employees, help secure alternative employment. But we are in a consultation phase, and the Cabinet Secretary will update accordingly to the Assembly.