Ellesmere Port & Neston MP, will seek support for the
future of the Vauxhall plant from the Department for Business,
after securing a Westminster Hall debate on the topic tomorrow
(Tuesday 20th March).
After seeking certainty about the Government’s plans for the
automotive sector after Brexit on a number of occasions in the
last couple of weeks, Madders hopes to press the Business Minster
for more detail during the thirty minute debate.
Commenting, MP said:
“Whilst it is a year until we will actually leave the
European Union, businesses are making decisions about their
future plans now, so it is important that they are able to
understand what the Government’s plans are. The plant in
Ellesmere Port only has work guaranteed until 2021 and the
decision about whether to manufacture a new model there will be
made in the near future.
In the past few weeks, I have asked the Prime Minister, the
International Trade Secretary, Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union and the Business Secretary to provide more clarity
about the kind of deal that the Government is seeking for the
automotive sector and on every occasion I have received no
further detail.
I am not asking the Government to reveal their full
negotiating position publicly, but at the very least they need to
privately discuss the direction of travel with key manufacturers
like Vauxhall. They also need to listen to what has been
said about steps the Government can put in place to make the
plant more cost effective; and from business rates to energy
costs and the supply chain, there is an awful lot more in terms
of initiatives that the Government can support to help the plant.
Part of my pitch tomorrow will be to encourage the Government to
get involved with some of these proposals; every little bit will
help secure its future.
The town of Ellesmere Port has grown alongside Vauxhall
Motors, its is a huge part of our community, economically as well
as socially. The warning signs are there that we need positive
Government intervention as soon as possible. If these jobs are
lost they wont be coming back; permanent quality skilled jobs in
manufacturing are vital if we are to have a vibrant local economy
in the future. For the sake of everyone connected with the plant
we need to end the uncertainty”
