UK Steel Strategy

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

Monday 23rd March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

We engaged carefully with the industry in constructing these tariffs, and we will review the measure after 12 months to ensure it remains effective.

[Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)]

My Lords, the Statement says:

“Britain can recycle more steel. Making better use of scrap steel is fundamental to the sector’s future growth”.


However, I am sure the Minister is aware that, currently, four-fifths of the UK’s scrap steel is exported, primarily to non-OECD countries with far lower environmental standards than us. I looked carefully at the strategy, but I could not see any actions planned by the Government to ensure that scrap steel stays in the UK to be recycled. I also could not find a target for the level of recycling that we expect of that scrap steel; I hope that it will eventually be 100%. How long will that take? If I have missed any actions and targets, I would love to hear about them.

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is right that there is a strong emphasis on the importance of scrap steel. The move to using some of the electric arc furnaces will increase the demand for that scrap steel in our supply chain. Our move towards the aim of getting the domestic market share back to 50% will drive much more demand for domestic scrap steel.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his questions. On the effectiveness of electric arc furnaces, there are a couple of points. First, at Sheffield Forgemasters, we see the technical capability to produce steel to the highest quality, for the nuclear industry, aerospace and defence. Independent experts’ view is that any grade can be made by electric arc furnaces, so that addresses the question about the quality of steel that can be made by this technology. On the other point about the benefit to Wales, we have already invested £500 million in the electric arc furnace for Port Talbot. We are working with the Secretary of State for Wales and the private sector to see what investment can be unlocked under the £2.5 billion that the National Wealth Fund will have allocated for steel projects.

[Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)]

My Lords, since there is time, I note that the Statement talks, I am happy to say, about the shift to “greener, decarbonised steel production”. However, will the Minister acknowledge that there is a rather great irony that when the Statement comes to consider the potential markets for this British-made steel, it talks about the third runway at Heathrow requiring 400,000 tonnes of steel? This is the third runway that, according to the Government’s own figures, uncovered by Politico last year, will result in an addition 2.4 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent being released into the atmosphere each year by 2050. This is at the same time as the Joint Intelligence Committee is warning what a great threat to our security the climate emergency is.

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is right: there is a great market for green steel. Hatch estimates that over 90% of steel demand in the UK in 2050 will be steel produced with low emissions. The transition to net zero is across the entire economy, and we will take that forward across all sub-sectors.

Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes

Debate between Baroness Lloyd of Effra and Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

I have responded to this question before. I understand why people feel strongly about it. As I mentioned, the Government keep participation under review, but it is important that we can communicate with people wherever they get their news from. We have things to say about our violence against women and girls strategy, about what is acceptable in terms of social media, and on many other topics. It is important that we reach all people.

[Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)]

The US Under-Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, Sarah B Rogers, an appointee of President Trump, said in an interview that was broadcast on GB News in the early hours of this morning that if the UK Government were to ban X, nothing was off the table, in what were clearly threatening remarks. She said that the political valence of the British Government is antagonistic to that of X. Given what we are talking about, one would really hope so. Will the Minister confirm that the British Government will act in the interests of the well-being of the British public and the country, stand up to such threats to democracy and not allow themselves to be bullied by the Trump Administration?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The Government’s motivation is to take action to protect users in the United Kingdom and to support Ofcom in implementing UK law. That is what we have made very clear. We have made it very clear that Ofcom has our full backing in implementing compliance with the Online Safety Act and that we have given Ofcom tools that it can use, and the Secretary of State and others have made it clear that it has our support in using those tools. I hope that clarifies our motivations in these areas.