Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for the important points that she makes about manufacturing? Manufacturing businesses employ 10 per cent of the Welsh workforce. Across the UK, the equivalent percentage is 8 per cent, and so manufacturing is more important to Wales than it is to the UK generally in terms of the value that it adds the economy. Members may be aware that I recently launched a manufacturing plan for consultation. It's out for consultation until the middle of October; I'd encourage all Members to make their thoughts and views known in regard to the plan. It contains proposed actions that directly touch on what Jenny Rathbone has outlined: a need to reskill, a need to identify new opportunities for manufacturing businesses and workers.

I can say that in terms of the closure of Ford, I was listening diligently to questions to my friend and colleague Rebecca Evans earlier. A written statement regarding the closure of the Bridgend plant was issued on 24 September, and pretty much every member of staff at that plant received support from Careers Wales, through the regional employment response team, helping them identify what their skills are and how they might be able to capture employment opportunities at other businesses—or crucially, start their own business, and a good number of people at Ford have started their own businesses.

Jenny Rathbone will be aware that a jobs and skills matching service is being operated by Working Wales and that we recently announced an additional £40 million of funding for individuals to gain the skills or to reskill in areas of activity where we know jobs will be in existence in the years to come. I think COVID has demonstrated how many of our manufacturers are able to turn their hand to new opportunities as well. We know that, for example, at the advanced manufacturing research centre, a very significant number of aerospace workers turned their hands to producing PPE, and as a result of that work, we are now stealing a march on some international manufacturers in terms of producing vital equipment for our domestic market. So within the manufacturing plan, which is out for consultation at the moment, there is a very, very significant focus on shortening supply chains and reshoring manufacturing opportunities here in Wales.