Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the automotive sector of recent announcements by Honda and other car manufacturers of expected job losses in the UK.

This is a concerning time for the 3,500 workers at the Swindon plant and the many thousands of people employed by companies in Honda UK’s supply chain. The Government will come together to provide support for those affected by this and other decisions.

Despite this disappointing news, government believes that the case for continued investment in the UK is exceptionally strong, and that Honda and our strategic technology priorities are aligned. The UK has some of the best talent in the world and the Government is already investing in future car manufacturing, batteries and electrification infrastructure to ensure the UK retains its world-leading edge. The UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for automotive and other advanced manufacturing. We continue to support individual company investments in technology transition, and we are committed to maintaining and growing our domestic supply chain and highly skilled workforce.

We recognise the challenges facing automotive businesses, including the prevailing market conditions in Europe, but strongly believe that companies in automotive and other sectors can continue to take advantage of the UK’s business environment and the opportunities arising from accessing new and developing markets in the UK and overseas.

We are determined to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive locations in the world for the automotive sector. BEIS Ministers and officials regularly engage with the automotive industry, including bilaterals with manufacturers, interactions via trade associations, and through the Department’s participation in the Automotive Council.