Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency

Chris McDonald Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Jones]

Navantia, which is building three ships, has recently entered into a contract to use Liberty’s steel; that relates to the Dalzell plant in Scotland, so it is unaffected by the announcements we have made today. Of course, I work very closely with my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence to ensure that we use British Steel where we can, and that we have the right infrastructure across the country, producing the right types of steel. We produce some types of steel for defence and not others, and some types of steel for shipping and not others. We need to do everything we can to protect British jobs and produce what we can here in the UK.

[Chris McDonald (Stockton North) (Lab)]

It would have enhanced the shadow Minister’s response if he had at least acknowledged that this Government are literally picking up the pieces after the chaotic dismemberment of the steel industry on the Conservative party’s watch. I have worked at Stocksbridge and Rotherham, and I pay tribute to the workforce there—but also to the dedicated steel team in the Department, who I know will have been working long hours in supporting the Minister on this.

The Government now own, control or fund three of the UK’s six steel companies. While a full merger of British Steel and Speciality Steel is one option, at the very least a review of all the assets under the Government’s purview would be a good idea, to see whether we can create more sustainable, investable businesses and reintegrate some of the internal supply chains. Would the Minister consider that?

[Sarah Jones]

I thank my hon. Friend for his words, and particularly his thanks to officials in the Department, who are brilliant; I work with them very closely, and they have not had many weekends throughout the whole steel process undertaken by this Government. His expertise is very much welcomed. We will continue to speak about this, as we did yesterday, and to use his expertise. Of course, we need to look at the whole situation. He is right that the Government are now involved in a number of steel companies, although we do not have ownership of any of them, and it is a different kind of involvement in different parts of the country. We are reviewing all that, and we want to see what the best mix is; we will continue to take his advice on that.