Part of 3. 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:05 pm on 4 October 2017.
Thank you very much for that response. The first clear signs that I got of trouble emerged in March, and on 21 August the workforce, as you will know I’m sure, voted for industrial action, which has now been put on hold. It has been known and said by members of your own Welsh Government that working practices have been allowed to grow as an issue for a number of years. We did have a cross-party meeting in May with trade unions where such concerns were raised. Unions and the workforce wanted intervention then and they wanted help to diversify then and mediation with the management then. So, I’m just curious as to why it’s taken to this particular point for the task and finish group to be set up. What other mitigating circumstances meant that this wasn’t set up sooner? I’d like to understand who will be on it and how it will report to you. Will it come to us as an Assembly and will it focus on diversification? Representatives from Ford have said that the new Dragon engine could be used as a base for a hybrid power unit in Bridgend looking at next-generation cars. So, can you assure us here today that this particular task and finish group will focus on Bridgend becoming that automobile hub and improve the status in developing new technologies in the area? I think that what Ford workforce are telling me, and others I’m sure, is that they want to be able to look at new ways to sustain that plant in Bridgend, and we need to do that now.