Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that decisions on applications to the Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund can be made before the end of 2026 where delays could result in the permanent closure of strategically important chemical manufacturing capacity or the cancellation of associated industrial investment.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will back the UK’s most strategically important chemical producers – the firms that supply the critical inputs relied on by sectors including food, energy, water and healthcare
The Fund has been designed to keep these key producers and sites competitive, put businesses on a more sustainable footing and strengthen supply chain resilience. It has been developed in partnership with industry representatives and independent experts
Eligible companies have been identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and ratified by a panel of independent industry experts. They will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projects, this includes producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, and contributors to key supply chains. The Government recognises the need to support the chemicals sector quickly and expects the Fund to be open to eligible applications by the end of this year. It would be inappropriate to comment on specific companies or eligible applicants.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential need for time-limited financial support for strategically important chemical manufacturers facing temporary operating losses where there is a credible prospect of returning to commercial viability; and what mechanisms are available to provide such support where expenditure does not qualify under the Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will back the UK’s most strategically important chemical producers – the firms that supply the critical inputs relied on by sectors including food, energy, water and healthcare
The Fund has been designed to keep these key producers and sites competitive, put businesses on a more sustainable footing and strengthen supply chain resilience. It has been developed in partnership with industry representatives and independent experts
Eligible companies have been identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and ratified by a panel of independent industry experts. They will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projects, this includes producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, and contributors to key supply chains. The Government recognises the need to support the chemicals sector quickly and expects the Fund to be open to eligible applications by the end of this year. It would be inappropriate to comment on specific companies or eligible applicants.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether expenditure on essential site maintenance, preservation of production capability and other resilience measures during a temporary suspension of manufacturing operations is eligible for support under the Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will back the UK’s most strategically important chemical producers – the firms that supply the critical inputs relied on by sectors including food, energy, water and healthcare
The Fund has been designed to keep these key producers and sites competitive, put businesses on a more sustainable footing and strengthen supply chain resilience. It has been developed in partnership with industry representatives and independent experts
Eligible companies have been identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and ratified by a panel of independent industry experts. They will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projects, this includes producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, and contributors to key supply chains. The Government recognises the need to support the chemicals sector quickly and expects the Fund to be open to eligible applications by the end of this year. It would be inappropriate to comment on specific companies or eligible applicants.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether capital expenditure incurred before an application is submitted, including expenditure on decarbonisation and industrial resilience, may be considered eligible expenditure under the Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will back the UK’s most strategically important chemical producers – the firms that supply the critical inputs relied on by sectors including food, energy, water and healthcare
The Fund has been designed to keep these key producers and sites competitive, put businesses on a more sustainable footing and strengthen supply chain resilience. It has been developed in partnership with industry representatives and independent experts
Eligible companies have been identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and ratified by a panel of independent industry experts. They will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projects, this includes producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, and contributors to key supply chains. The Government recognises the need to support the chemicals sector quickly and expects the Fund to be open to eligible applications by the end of this year. It would be inappropriate to comment on specific companies or eligible applicants.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether INEOS Acetyls at Saltend has been identified as an eligible applicant for the Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund; and what the timetable is for determining applications to that fund.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund will back the UK’s most strategically important chemical producers – the firms that supply the critical inputs relied on by sectors including food, energy, water and healthcare
The Fund has been designed to keep these key producers and sites competitive, put businesses on a more sustainable footing and strengthen supply chain resilience. It has been developed in partnership with industry representatives and independent experts
Eligible companies have been identified by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and ratified by a panel of independent industry experts. They will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projects, this includes producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, and contributors to key supply chains. The Government recognises the need to support the chemicals sector quickly and expects the Fund to be open to eligible applications by the end of this year. It would be inappropriate to comment on specific companies or eligible applicants.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help reduce levels of industrial electricity costs for UK steel producers compared to EU ones.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are reducing industrial energy prices for steel businesses through the measures set out in the Industrial and Steel Strategies: the EII compensation Scheme, the uplift to the British Industry Supercharger, and the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. The overall impact of UK government electricity price support reduces electricity prices for steel producers on average from £168/MWh to £86/MWh, reducing the costs of production for EAFs by approximately £40/t crude steel-based, and bringing UK EAF costs to a more similar level with those in the EU.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate her Department has made of the potential annual revenue to be generated by tariffs under the new steel trade measure; and whether any of this revenue will be used to mitigate cost increases for downstream steel-consuming businesses.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The purpose of the trade measure is not to raise tariff revenue, and therefore we have not made any estimates. The Government is acting in response to the serious threat posed by global steel overcapacity. This continues to distort markets, and threaten the viability of UK steelmaking, which underpins our critical national infrastructure and defence. Tariff-free quotas have been designed with the aim of allowing for a stable supply of imports, taking into account UK production.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 1 July 2026 implementation date for the steel trade measure on businesses with procurement lead times in excess of three months.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The new trade measure is being applied in response to significant threat of global steel overcapacity. The steel safeguard expired on 30 June under WTO rules. The UK cannot risk a gap in protection, which would see the loss of steelmaking in the UK and leave us dependent on overseas suppliers for our critical national infrastructure and defence sectors. In finalising the details of the measure, we listened to stakeholders across the supply chain. The Government will continue to engage with industry and actively monitor impacts, including through a review after 12 months. To ease potential short-term impacts, a transitional arrangement is available under which the new measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to help ensure that the Energy Intensive Industry (EII) status of eligible businesses at Saltend Chemicals Park is resolved.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I am aware of the ongoing issues relating to businesses at the Saltend Chemicals Park, who are currently not receiving exemptions under the British Industry Supercharger that they are eligible for. My officials are liaising with Ofgem and the Low Carbon Contracts Company, as they understand the impacts that high industrial electricity costs and unique energy meter configurations are creating for these businesses. My officials are working to resolve this situation promptly and will keep Saltend Chemicals Park Limited, who own the business park, updated on progress.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a statement on the (a) timing and (b) outcome of the Trade Remedies Authority’s investigation into imports of US-produced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and set out the steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK biodiesel producers are not placed at a competitive disadvantage resulting from unfair trading practices.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK’s independent arms-length body responsible for the conduct of trade remedy investigations. They make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to whether any such measures should be introduced.
On 17 March 2025 the Trade Remedies Authority initiated a subsidy investigation on the import of HVO Biodiesel of US-origin. As the investigation remains ongoing, I cannot comment further. The TRA will publish relevant information on the public file as the review progresses.