2 Sisters Food Group

Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 4:04 pm on 25 January 2023.

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Photo of Carolyn Thomas Carolyn Thomas Labour 4:04, 25 January 2023

I was devastated to have a phone call at 9 o'clock as well from residents in Anglesey. I've been talking, obviously, with you, Minister, and I've also been talking with Unite the Union, who've been having talks as well with the workforce. I need to declare also that I am a member of Unite the Union. I should have declared that earlier as well when I had questions to the Minister for Social Justice. So, apologies for that.

The factory employs a lot of local people, as the local Member said, but also people in Bangor and Caernarfon as well, and people from eastern Europe, India and Africa that come and make their home at Bangor as well. I know when we were campaigning around the 2 Sisters factory in Flintshire, when it came to Brexit as well, people were there campaigning for Brexit, but they were saying then that, you campaign for this and the impact on workers coming from eastern Europe might mean that factory would close in the future, because they're propping up those jobs for local people as well.

These possibly 730 jobs are low-paid workers, and for me, I know it's been raised about providing industry and further work, but I'm really concerned about families, about the impact on the mental health and well-being, on the children, and everything for these low-paid workers. So, do Anglesey council need money to help currently to deal with this situation? I know you said the DWP will work with them, but you know, social security isn't very good through the DWP. Universal credit takes, what, six weeks before it gets through. They're going to need immediate and very quick help.

So, what can be done? I heard that there is a taskforce being set up, and I'd like to be a member of that as well, working with Unite the Union and the local Member, but they will need this immediate help, because they won't have money saved up. They won't have backup. So, just what you can do on that, please, Minister.