Claire Archibald MS and Paul Marr MS meet Valero to discuss protecting Pembrokeshire jobs and industry
Claire Archibald MS and Paul Marr MS have met with a senior representative from Valero to discuss the future of Pembroke Refinery and the importance of protecting skilled jobs, apprenticeships and industry in Pembrokeshire.
Speaking after the meeting, Claire Archibald MS said:
“Pembroke Refinery is hugely important to Pembrokeshire.
“It supports skilled jobs, apprenticeships, contractors, local businesses, and families across the county. These are exactly the kind of well-paid, long-term jobs we should be protecting in west Wales.
“Valero raised serious concerns about the pressure being placed on UK refining, particularly through carbon costs and the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
“If we make it too expensive to produce fuel here, we risk pushing jobs, investment, and production overseas. That would be bad for Pembrokeshire, bad for UK fuel security, and would not help the environment if the same fuel is simply imported from elsewhere.
“The Welsh Government has a role here. Ministers cannot just stand back and say this is nothing to do with them. They have responsibilities around economic development, skills, planning, regulation and infrastructure, and they are also part of the UK ETS framework.
“I will be pressing the Welsh Government to engage properly with Valero, listen to the concerns being raised, and treat Pembroke Refinery as the strategically important site it is.
“Pembrokeshire has already lost too much industry over the years. We should be doing everything sensible to protect skilled jobs, support apprenticeships and keep major employers investing here for the long term.”
Paul Marr MS added:
“Pembroke Refinery is a vital part of the local economy and a major employer for Pembrokeshire.
“The message from Valero was clear: if we want to keep major industry in Wales, we have to make sure the policy environment allows businesses to invest, compete and plan for the future.
“We cannot afford to take sites like Pembroke Refinery for granted.”
Pembroke Refinery is one of the most important industrial sites in Wales. It supplies a significant share of the UK’s transport fuel and supports hundreds of direct jobs, as well as many more through contractors, local suppliers and wider businesses.
The meeting focused on the future of the refinery, the importance of apprenticeships and skilled local work, and the pressures facing the UK refining industry.
Claire Archibald MS will now be raising these concerns with the Welsh Government and asking what action Ministers are taking to support Pembroke Refinery, protect skilled jobs and secure future investment in Pembrokeshire.