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<p>We have not made an assessment at this time. We have, however, set up the Honda
Swindon Taskforce, chaired by my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business,
which will look to support those affected and to continue Swindon’s record of attracting
investment to create highly-skilled jobs that offer fulfilling careers for years to
come.</p><p>Automotive manufacturing is a critical industry for the UK, contributing
£16.6bn gross value added in 2018 (0.9% of the economy) and 165,000 jobs (0.5% of
the UK Workforce).</p><p>Honda took the decision to close its Swindon plant in 2021
with the potential loss of 3,500 jobs. The automotive manufacturing sector was last
estimated to account for around 0.8% of the economy of the South West Region and around
8,000 jobs (0.3% of its total employment). The Secretary of State has been working
closely with local partners, Honda and the Trade Unions to fully understand and mitigate
the impact of this decision on the workforce, the local area and the supply chain.
The Honda Taskforce last met for a third time on 19 June.</p><p>We are doing everything
to support businesses, their workforce and communities affected by the announcements.
We continue the strive to attract investment, creating highly-skilled jobs that offer
fulfilling careers for years to come.</p>
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