Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Alison McGovern
Main Page: Alison McGovern (Labour - Birkenhead)Department Debates - View all Alison McGovern's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port and Battery Manufacturing Strategy
Alison McGovern Excerpts(3 years, 10 months ago)
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Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government are committed to exploring opportunities that will support the next generations of clean technologies, and we are looking very much at the field of critical raw materials. My hon. Friend will remember that when I was Minister for Business, Energy, and Clean Growth, I was particularly committed to that form of technology. It is an exciting development, admittedly in its early stages, and I am always looking to drive innovation in that area.
Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab) [V]
I support everything that my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders), said about this, and specifically about the impact of this issue on people in our area, and I support what he said about needing to move quickly. Whatever the strategy or plan, it must be about jobs and opportunities, particularly for young people who could be facing a serious unemployment situation. What discussion has the Secretary of State had with the metro Mayor for Merseyside about how we ensure that, whatever the plan is for automotive, it has the fortunes of young people at its heart?
Kwasi Kwarteng
On the specific question, I have met Steve Rotheram a number of times in previous ministerial roles, and I believe I am setting up a meeting with him soon. He has great knowledge of the area, and is interested not only in Ellesmere Port but in the possibilities of the HyNet industrial cluster, and decarbonising that. I am sure I will speak to the Mayor very soon.