Newport Wafer Fab Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Liz Saville Roberts
Main Page: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)Department Debates - View all Liz Saville Roberts's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(2 years ago)
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Grant Shapps
Although we have not met up, I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s work in this area. As I have said, we are of course very keen to ensure that we have semiconductor manufacturing in this country. That south Wales cluster is enormously important, but there are other areas that share many of the skills. We will say more about this soon, not least because £1.6 billion has gone into the UK’s nine Catapults. That is an increase of 35% on the funding cycle, and semiconductors are a very important part of more than one of the Catapults.
Liz Saville Roberts (Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)
During a recent session of the BEIS Committee’s inquiry into the UK semiconductor industry, a representative from Nexperia indicated that there is space at Newport Wafer Fab for expansion and diversification, and we all know that we are becoming ever more reliant on semiconductors. Will the Secretary of State therefore commit not only to saving the 500 jobs currently at Newport but to bringing forward the investment necessary to transform the Newport site into a semiconductor hub that can help sustain supply chains across the UK and, in turn, sustain national security?
Grant Shapps
It is worth saying for the House’s benefit —I am sure the right hon. Lady knows this —that this got going in south Wales partly through £1 billion of Government investment. Of course, it is important that we keep the investment flowing. This is principally a private business and I understand that Nexperia has indicated that it would like to expand it further. For reasons of national security, that will now happen, I hope, under the auspices of another private business. However, the Government stand four-square behind the principle that we should have high-tech industries and high-tech, well-paid jobs. That is something that we will pursue.