Extract from Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions: British Motor Sector - July 17

Wednesday, 18 July 2018 08:42

John Spellar (Warley) (Lab) 5. What recent discussions he has had with trade union representatives on the future of the British motor sector. [906489] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Richard Harrington) On 25 June, I met Unite the union to discuss its views on how Government can best support the UK automotive sector. I...Request free trial

John Spellar (Warley) (Lab)

5. What recent discussions he has had with trade union representatives on the future of the British motor sector. [906489]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Richard Harrington)

On 25 June, I met Unite the union to discuss its views on how Government can best support the UK automotive sector. I met Tony Burke and representatives from the Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and GKN unions. The Secretary of State and I also speak to the unions regularly through their membership of the Automotive Council.

John Spellar

I thank the Minister for having that meeting, because under Conservative, Labour and even Lib Dem Ministers, Britain rebuilt its motor industry by working closely with industry and the unions. Unfortunately, more recently, ill-considered lurches in policy by the Department for Transport, which are less like the prosperity agenda and the industrial strategy and more like Soviet 10-year plans, are creating deep uncertainty, especially for the diesel sector, where Britain is a world leader. What will the Minister now be doing with unions and companies to get our motor industry policy, across Government, back on track?

Richard Harrington

The Government’s “Road to Zero” strategy, which was published last week, made it clear that there is a continuing role for clean diesel vehicles as we reduce carbon dioxide emissions from UK road transport. It has been generally welcomed by the automotive industry...

Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)

Moving to electric vehicles should be transformative for our country and our £77 billion car sector, creating new markets and jobs in manufacturing, services, the supply chain and battery recycling. What are the Government doing? Their Faraday challenge does not cover manufacturing or skills, they have ditched renewable energy investment, delayed the £400 million investment in charging infrastructure and allowed the takeover of GKN’s world-leading battery technology, and yesterday they voted for a customs plan that will sever automotive supply chains, putting more than 800,000 jobs at risk. Is it not the Government’s role to help create high-skilled, high-productivity jobs, not destroy them?

Richard Harrington

I totally agree with the hon. Lady: it is the Government’s role to do exactly that. That is why we have the Faraday battery challenge, which covers skills, and why the Government are putting so much effort into battery technology and clean technology for this country. I am very proud of that. I have seen skills in the automotive industry when I have visited car factories and the schools around them. The number of apprenticeships shows that the Government are totally committed to skills. We have a very bright future with batteries.