Newport Wafer Fab
Debate between Heather Wheeler and Grant Shapps(1 year, 12 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
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Grant Shapps
I have seen the reports that the hon. Member refers to. I do not want to get ahead of ourselves. In the next few weeks, Nexperia will provide its plan for the business, which we will come back to. I hear what she says, it is on the record and I am very conscious of her comments. In the end, it is of course a private business. The Government’s involvement is to look at the national security aspects of it, but as a Government we want to see good employers everywhere. In fact, we have backed five separate private Members’ Bills in this Session to improve the welfare of workers, and it is something that we take very seriously.
Mrs Heather Wheeler (South Derbyshire) (Con)
I congratulate the Secretary of State on making this decision. As he knows, I have been closely involved and tried to make sure that the correct decision was taken. There are many spin-offs from our universities and UK companies that are very interested in taking semiconductors to the next stage. Can I have his assurance that the Government will look widely at who may take the business forward and keep semiconductor build business going in the UK?