Steel Import Restrictions

Debate between Lord Gove and Lord Leong

Tuesday 2nd June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gove (Con)]

My Lords, I was delighted to hear from the Minister a brief summary of just some of the benefits that being outside the European Union has brought this country. Not only do we have an independent trade policy that allows us to protect steel jobs, but, just before the Recess, the Chancellor of the Exchequer removed entirely a slew of tariffs on products, which she emphasised would mean cheaper prices in our supermarkets for every citizen. It is also of course the case that precision breeding means that we have plants and animals with higher yields that are more resilient to environmental and other pressures, and changes to share issuance which mean that the City of London is more competitive than ever. I join the Minister in saying that that vote 10 years ago was a fantastic leap forward for the United Kingdom and I am so delighted that this Minister is showing the courage of the nation’s convictions.

[Lord Leong (Lab)]

I did not detect a question there. We are where we are. We have to get Brexit done and we are making the most of it. We have signed trade deals with many countries and many more are in the pipeline. We will continue signing free trade deals everywhere.