Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:18 pm on 18 March 2020.
Can I thank Lynne Neagle for her question? I'd agree entirely with her. I've never, ever experienced an episode of such intense anxiety and uncertainty for families and businesses across our country, and indeed around the world. It demonstrates why, at every opportunity, we need to work as closely as possible as Governments, as political parties as well, to overcome the challenges that we face.
Lynne Neagle points to one specific part of the economy that is facing very grave difficulties right now: the automotive sector. It was already facing challenges as a consequence of the accelerated shift towards zero emissions and the advent of self-drive vehicles. This now, and of course on top of the uncertainty of Brexit, poses an incredible challenge that will be difficult to overcome, but I am of the belief that the sector is strong and robust and will overcome it, but it will require assistance.
Many Members will have seen news just in the last 24 hours of the decision taken by Toyota, very similar to those that Lynne Neagle highlighted in her question. This follows on the back of the decision made over Vauxhall's operations in the UK, and there are 400 or so people who live in Wales who are employed at the Ellesmere Port site. So, a vast number of people in the Welsh workforce will be affected by decisions taken within the automotive sector.
We are in daily dialogue with the Welsh automotive forum, which is the representative body of the automotive sector, and the message that we are receiving from them is that the automotive sector, like many business sectors in the Welsh economy, simply cannot continue if they require a huge degree of people to work from home. You have to actually be on site, making things, and therefore hibernation may be the only option.
In order to ensure that businesses come out of hibernation as soon as possible and get people back to work, rather than fall over during this period, a wage-subsidy scheme is required. And it's not just required for the businesses themselves, it's also required for individuals to guarantee their welfare throughout this period.