Economic Situation: Wales
Wales

Cheryl Gillan (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Wales; Chesham and Amersham, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales

(1) what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Welsh Assembly Government Ministers, (b) ministerial colleagues and (c) representatives of Bosch to discuss the closure of Bosch operations in Wales; what the date of each such meeting was; and who attended each;

(2) when he was informed of Bosch's intention to end their operations in Wales;

(3) what discussions he has had with Unite on the closure of Bosch operations in Wales.

Peter Hain (Secretary of State, Wales Office; Neath, Labour)

I have had discussions with a range of interested parties, including the First Minister and Unite.

Last October Bosch announced that it was holding a 90 day of consultation on the future of the plant, either to cut 300 posts or to close the site completely. On 14 January, Bosch management confirmed that it was recommending the closure of the factory, phasing out production and all jobs by the summer of 2011.

Although the consultation period continues until the end of February, we are already working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government to provide the support and assistance necessary to help those affected to find new opportunities and get them back into work as quickly as possible.