Relationships with Large Companies

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy and Transport – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 16 January 2019.

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Photo of Caroline Jones Caroline Jones UKIP 2:13, 16 January 2019

Minister, my region depends on Tata, Ford and Sony, which are all major employers and a vital part of the supply chain. My region cannot afford to lose any more jobs. In recent years, all these major employers have scaled back their operations, leading to large job losses. This is a particularly worrying time for workers at the Bridgend Ford plant, and, as with Tata and Sony, the key to securing the plant's future lies in securing new and diverse business. Minister, when we spoke last year about the future of the Bridgend plant, I urged you to work with Ford to explore the move to an all-electric drivetrain being produced at Bridgend. Can you outline what progress, if any, has been made on this, and whether Ford Europe are even receptive to such a move? If so, what assistance will the Welsh Government give the plant to enable retooling to take place?