George Osborne has paid tribute to 50 years of refining in Pembroke in the House of Commons.
He was asked by local MP Simon Hart whether he could assure Valero that it has the full support of the UK Government going into the future.
Mr Osborne replied: “I can absolutely give the refinery that assurance.
“Refineries such as the one at Pembroke play a key role in the UK’s energy security and provide many thousands of skilled jobs across the country.
“Our energy policy enables companies to know that investment is coming in, and therefore to make investment decisions for the future.
“I hope that Valero will look at the British economy and see that it is recovering and on the rise, and that that, with activity increasing, will mean more requirements for refining capacity.”
Mr Hart added: “I chose to ask Mr Osborne about the Pembroke Refinery because it is such an important industry and big employer in the county. I was delighted that he was able to give such a strong assurance about the importance of the industry to the future of the UK economy.”
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