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Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:45 pm on 30 January 2019.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 3:45, 30 January 2019

I thank Mark Isherwood for his question, and he is absolutely right: there is no end in sight in terms of the decline in demand for the particular product that's produced at the Amlwch site, and he's also right—and as I have already stated—that there's limited space on the site. However, what we're looking at doing is diversifying and switching from what is a declining product—there's a declining demand for that particular product—to either other products within the group that could be diverted temporarily or more permanently to the Amlwch site or indeed those third parties.

Now, if we were to remove some of the edge band production from the Amlwch site and then see new products brought into the site, it would, of course, require a degree of investment, and that's specifically what Welsh Government officials are now working with the company in examining. If support is required from Welsh Government, then I'm sure that we would look on it very sympathetically indeed, not least because all of the examination so far of the business would lead us to believe that it is a very responsible employer and, therefore, in our view would in all probability be able to abide by the four points of the economic contract and, of course, given what the company has traditionally produced, we believe that, in terms of the lens through which we invest in business and our calls to action, the business would be in a position to be able to draw down support. But, first of all, we need to examine precisely what opportunities there are within the group and with third parties.