UK Steel Industry
Debate between Andy McDonald and Sajid Javid
Sajid Javid
The hon. Lady has made a very important point: at the end of the day, it is about work. Training can lead to work, as can retraining, so it is important to invest in it. I know that, to the people of Redcar, this seems like a drop in the ocean. When a community is built around a single industry, the death of that industry takes away more than just the jobs. I do not want to see any other steelmaking community suffer the same fate, and that is why the Government have been taking real action to support the industry.
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)
Does the Secretary of State begin to appreciate how this flows into the community? A medical centre on Teesside that I visited recently lost two nurses, who had to give up their bursary-funded training programmes because their husbands lost their jobs at SSI. The consequences and the ripples spread right out. It is not 2,200 people who have lost their jobs; it is up to 9,000 people, and the Secretary of State should understand that.
Sajid Javid
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: there can be a devastating effect on the community that goes way beyond the actual job losses at SSI. That is why we must do everything, together, to prevent the same thing from happening to any other community, and we must support the supply chain, because, as he says, there is a ripple effect throughout the community on many, many businesses.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andy McDonald and Sajid Javid(9 years ago)
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Sajid Javid
First, I accept the invitation—thank you very much. I also take the opportunity to commend my hon. Friend for her leadership of the Science and Technology Committee and the way in which has made the case so well for science. I can confirm that the ring fence is protected in real terms, not just cash terms. I also confirm our manifesto commitment to spend £6.9 billion on science infrastructure over the next six years. I am sure that she will agree that, this Christmas, batteries are included.
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)
T9. I previously raised with the Secretary of State the Teesside Collective’s industrial carbon capture and storage ambitions, which will not only contribute massively to the climate change agenda, but secure existing industries and attract investment. In the light of the Paris agreement, will he meet me and industrialists leading that key initiative to explore how we might bring that important project to fruition?
Steel Industry
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Sajid Javid
I thank my hon. Friend for taking part in the steel summit and his contributions. These working groups have already been set up and each and every one of them has begun work. In fact, I can announce which Ministers will be chairing and leading the work for each group: it is the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General on public procurement, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise on international comparisons, and the Commercial Secretary on competitiveness and productivity. All these working groups will have their first meetings later this week.
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)
It is good to see the Secretary of State here on this occasion. Has he initiated an anti-dumping investigation pursuant to the World Trade Organisation agreement, and if so, what stage is it at? If he has not, why not, and when is he going to start to stand up for Britain?
Sajid Javid
The hon. Gentleman knows that we have already started taking action. As I have said, we have voted for action at the EU. We have in fact led the way on certain products. He will also know that the process is EU-led in terms of investigations. We have provided evidence where we found it. If he is aware of any stakeholders that have evidence that he thinks we may not have, I would like to see it.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andy McDonald and Sajid Javid(9 years, 5 months ago)
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Sajid Javid
I can tell my hon. Friend that we will have active dialogue with various industries, across sectors, and we will make sure that we are listening and seeing what the Government can do.
Andy McDonald (Middlesbrough) (Lab)
Given tomorrow’s eagerly awaited announcement by the Teesside Collective on its ambitious industrial carbon capture and storage proposal, will the Minister, with his colleagues, ensure that industrial, energy and climate change policies are aligned and that every other assistance is given to the collective in bringing about an early realisation of this vital project?
Sajid Javid
I have listened very carefully to the hon. Gentleman, and if he would like to furnish me with more information about the Teesside Collective and how we can help, I would be happy to take a look.