§ Sir David MadelTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Task Force he has set up following the BMW decision on Rover will visit the supplier plants to Rover wherever they are in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [118204]
§ Mr. Alan Johnson[holding answer 7 April 2000]: The Task Force set up by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is to assess the impact on the supplier chain, and has created a Supplier Chain Sub-Group that is lead by Grahame Broome of SMMT. The sub-group will not undertake an extensive programme of visits but is working with consultants Deloitte Touche to reach as wide a range of suppliers as possible. So far, it has devised and sent out nearly 6,700 questionnaires to businesses in Rover's supplier chain. The questionnaire is also available on an internet site and businesses are being encouraged to e-mail their responses.
More than 300 replies have been received so far and are being analysed to inform the Task Force's work on producing proposals that will support component 155W manufacturers, develop their employees, strengthen their competitiveness and assist their efforts to diversify into new sectors.