Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:08 pm on 9 October 2019.
Dirprwy Lywydd, can I share Dawn Bowden's thanks to the partners that have been working tirelessly since the announcement was made in supporting the affected workers? Can I also thank Dawn Bowden for recognising the efforts that were made by my officials in trying to save and restructure the company? I really do recognise the closure of Triumph Furniture will have a major impact on the economy of Merthyr and the surrounding area as well.
Now, Dawn Bowden raises a number of important questions, primarily the issue of redundancy payments and how swiftly they can be progressed and processed and also the role that Brexit has played in the company's collapse, as well as other factors, namely the loss of a single major contract. With regard to redundancy payments, I'll be writing to the UK Government's Redundancy Payments Service to ask if claims can be processed in a similarly swift fashion that took place with regard to Thomas Cook, where employees were given redundancy payments swiftly. I think that from what Dawn Bowden said today, and from what I have also been able to ascertain, many, many employees are living hand to mouth and therefore urgently need support. And I will be writing today regarding that matter.
In terms of Brexit and other factors, well, if we deal with the question of the DWP order first, this is a question that needs to be directed to the UK Government and something that we will certainly be taking up. I know that Members of Parliament, primarily Gerald Jones, are raising this question as well in Westminster. I wish to understand the extent to which the loss of this single major order contributed to the dramatic, swift collapse of the business. But there is no doubt whatsoever that Brexit has continued to play a part. Indeed, in the company's own accounts, continuing uncertainty on Brexit was noted, as was the falling value of the pound. The pound has fallen still further as the likelihood of us crashing out of the European Union increases. So, essentially, the idea of 'get it done' has done in this company. I fear that many other companies will face collapse in a similar vein.
Dawn Bowden asks what assessments and what response the Welsh Government is planning on making towards those businesses that are likely to face very grave difficulties in the coming weeks. Well, I can tell Members today that we've carried out an assessment across all 22 local authority areas of jobs that are considered to be at medium to high risk of loss in the event of us crashing out of Europe. In parts of Wales, the risk is as high as 30 per cent of jobs being categorised as medium to high risk. That is a terrible situation to be in. Therefore, I must stress to Members that no amount of preparation by this Government or by the UK Government will mitigate fully against the consequences of Britain crashing out of the European Union.