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Sarah Coombes
Main Page: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)Department Debates - View all Sarah Coombes's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Sarah Coombes (West Bromwich) (Lab)
The future of the car industry is in electric and automated vehicles, and the west midlands and the UK have always been leaders in car manufacturing across the world. Can the Minister say more about what we are doing to protect the industry and ensure that its future lies in the UK?
Chris McDonald
My hon. Friend is right that automotive manufacturing is a key part of our advanced manufacturing sector, and she has done a huge amount here in the House to champion the sector in her area nationally. One area we are focusing on is supporting the sector with the development of new technology, such as autonomous vehicles; last week, the Secretary of State signed a memorandum of understanding with Wayve. We are determined that the UK will become Europe’s first market for digital driving services, driving the market and driving our automotive industry.