Ford in Bridgend

Nick Thomas-Symonds Excerpts

Monday 10th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Alun Cairns]

The hon. Lady highlights the £1.1 billion that has been made available through a range of schemes, including the Faraday challenge, the Stephenson challenge, the autonomous vehicle initiative and the advanced Propulsion Centre. These schemes are available to companies across the whole UK, and many Welsh organisations are making active use of them.

[Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab)]

Whether in terms of its impact on just-in-time manufacturing, on tariffs or, indeed, on regulatory alignment, no deal would be a disastrous outcome for manufacturing. Does the Secretary of State agree that anyone who wishes to keep that outcome on the table as a credible option simply is not putting Wales first?

[Alun Cairns]

Steven Armstrong, the head of Ford Europe, explicitly said:

“It’s important that we get the agreement ratified that’s on the table at the moment.”

I was happy to vote for that agreement. Was the hon. Gentleman?