UK Modern Industrial Strategy

Lola McEvoy Excerpts

Monday 23rd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jonathan Reynolds]

I think it was about a year ago when my hon. Friend and I were on the campaign trail in her constituency and visited businesses with the message that we would implement a strategy of this kind. I think that the Scottish economy, when mapped against our eight industrial strategy sectors, could be a description of Scottish success, and we should be excited about that. The ethylene cracker at Mossmorran is a very important facility. As my hon. Friend will know, high gas prices across Europe mean that all the crackers across Europe are under some degree of distress. I have been in conversations with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland about that and other crackers in Scotland that are affected by those high gas prices, and we continue that work. More generally, the chemicals sector is recognised as a key foundational sector in this strategy. It has had a lot of pressure in recent years, and we are seeking to improve that business environment.

[Lola McEvoy (Darlington) (Lab)]

This is mint for British industry. In my region, we have a proud history of making world-class products and exports. We make trains, and this Government have secured the future of Hitachi at Aycliffe. We make cars, and this Government have negotiated a tariff deal to protect the Nissan plant in Sunderland. We make hugely advanced bioindustry products, such as the covid-19 vaccine, at the Centre for Process Innovation in my constituency in Darlington. As the chair of the APPG on industrial strategy, I know that the finance solutions and energy subsidies will be roundly welcomed by business up and down the country. Will the Secretary of State outline how this strategy will lead to more highly paid, highly skilled job opportunities for workers in constituencies such as mine who have seen more plants shut than saved over the last 14 years?

[Jonathan Reynolds]

I thoroughly thank my hon. Friend for her question and for all her work in her role in Parliament advocating for these issues. There is a huge amount in this strategy for the sectors that she outlines. I was very proud of the work that we did with Hitachi. On cars, it is about the tariffs, the Drive 35 programme, energy costs and the ZEV mandate, and we will make any changes that we need for a competitive position. This is fundamentally about what business needs, but it is also about better-paying jobs in every part of the UK. My hon. Friend’s part of the world in particular will stand to benefit considerably from this programme.