Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Jeremy Lefroy Excerpts
Wednesday 26th June 2019

(5 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alun Cairns Portrait Alun Cairns
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I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for providing me with the opportunity to highlight the Welsh economy’s export record. Exports are now at £17.7 billion—that is a 7.5% increase, which highlights how the Welsh economy is exporting strongly and at record levels.

Jeremy Lefroy Portrait Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)
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As someone who started his working life at Ford in Bridgend, may I ask the Secretary of State what he is doing to ensure that high-quality, high-value manufacturing jobs are going to continue at that excellent site, which has such good rail and road connections?

Alun Cairns Portrait Alun Cairns
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend; with his local knowledge, having worked at the plant, he truly understands the value of the skills that the people there bring. Those skills are a real incentive to attract further investment. Along with the Welsh Government, we have set up a joint taskforce that will be led by Richard Parry-Jones, an industry expert who is best placed to make recommendations to the Government. We look forward to receiving that report shortly.