Business and Trade Debate
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Al Pinkerton
Main Page: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)Department Debates - View all Al Pinkerton's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
(2 days, 16 hours ago)
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Peter Kyle
The shadow Secretary of State knows that the private sector has created 386,000 jobs under this Government.
Dr Pinkerton
Yesterday I met representatives of the British Chambers of Commerce, who relayed the profound concerns of the UK automative industry that it might be excluded from the European Union’s proposed industrial accelerator Act. Nissan and Honda have already broken cover to say that their futures may be uncertain unless they are included in the “made in Europe” rules. What is the Secretary of State doing, with his Front-Bench team and across Government, to ensure that the UK automotive sector is not placed at a competitive disadvantage as a consequence of those measures?
Peter Kyle
The hon. Member’s question is incredibly important. He will know that my ministerial team and I have been very active on this issue. Just a couple of weeks ago in Brussels I raised it directly with Commissioners. He will also know that in the proposed Act, which has not yet been introduced, there are potential challenges for the automotive sector. We are working with our EU colleagues to make sure that voices of the business community are being heard loud and clear and that the automotive sector—in which 86% of the components assembled in this country come from EU countries—is respected, valued, and secure in the future.
[Official Report, 12 March 2026; Vol. 782, c. 496.]
Written correction submitted by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade: