---

Car Manufacturing

Funnily enough, that is exactly the point that I was about to make, as there is a direct interest for my east London constituency. The changes would ricochet throughout other parts of the British economy as well, which is the primary reason for having this debate today. As the largest employer in the UK auto industry, Ford has responsibilities not only to its employees but to its local communities. There would be significant connections between Ford Motor Company and Jaguar Land Rover in terms of component supply, engineering and manufacturing, and any potential sale would need to take full account of that, not least in terms of the consequences for diesel engine production in my Dagenham constituency. The company has selected several bidders to proceed to more detailed discussions. The successful bidder must be a strong owner for the business going forward. Overall, I very much welcome this debate. It has allowed us to put several points on the agenda in a short time. I look forward to the Minister's response and commend my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley for initiating it.