House of Commons · Adjournment Debate
10 June 2020 · 9 other contributors
Opened by Gavin Newlands SNP Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Gavin Newlands raised concerns about rolls-royce (redundancies) in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The MP highlighted the announcement of up to 3,000 job cuts by Rolls-Royce in the UK, including 700 at Inchinnan. He argued that these plans would devastate his constituency and damage the wider manufacturing sector. Newlands cited the high-quality work performed at Inchinnan and emphasised the need for government intervention to protect jobs. He criticised Rolls-Royce's lack of dialogue with workers and called on the UK Government to take action.
Siddiq highlighted that British Airways has threatened to cut 12,000 jobs due to reduced demand. She called for urgent government intervention to protect jobs affected by reduced air travel.
Shannon agreed with the need for government support for local industries and emphasised that once a company leaves, it rarely returns.
Gibson echoed concerns about British Airways' 12,000 job cuts and called for urgent government action to protect jobs in the aviation sector.
Jones argued that time is of the essence for Ministers to act on protecting tens of thousands of jobs throughout the country, noting that other countries have already brought forward measures to support the industry.
Linden paid tribute to Newlands' work and called for reassurance from the Government on protecting jobs at Rolls-Royce in Glasgow East.
Stephens highlighted the importance of using the Rolls-Royce facility to develop highly skilled engineering jobs as part of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland.
Brown raised concerns about companies rushing to make closure decisions when short-term support like furlough is available, and mentioned Rolls-Royce's potential offshoring of work.
Pawsey questioned the decision by some companies to offshore repair and overhaul work instead of retaining it in the UK.
Sultana called for the Government to invest in green technologies and protect jobs at Rolls-Royce, working with the company and trade unions.
Government Response
The Minister acknowledged the importance of Rolls-Royce to the UK economy and the impact of its restructuring plans. He highlighted support measures already in place, including financial assistance from the Bank of England’s Corporate Finance Facility, and pledged continued dialogue with affected sites. The Minister also outlined ongoing initiatives aimed at supporting the aerospace sector through R&D funding, export campaigns, and green aviation technologies. Despite calls for immediate action, Zahawi emphasised that decisions were being made in response to market conditions and would be reviewed internationally to ensure competitiveness.