Oral Answers to Questions

Marie Tidball Excerpts

Thursday 12th December 2024 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Dr Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

1. What steps he is taking to support the steel industry in South Yorkshire.

[The Minister for Industry (Sarah Jones)]

The steel industry has been in decline, and we intend to turn this around. That is why we are developing a steel strategy, investing up to £2.5 billion and working at pace. The steel sector in South Yorkshire and across the UK has been neglected for too long, and we intend to change that.

[Dr Tidball]

Stocksbridge Speciality Steels in my constituency is a world-leading plant, with specialist capability to produce cleaner and stronger high-grade steel for our aerospace industry. The plant supports hundreds of jobs and has an exceptional on-site skills training centre, with links to local universities. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss the future strategic significance of Stocksbridge Speciality Steels and its fundamental importance to our national steel industry?

[Sarah Jones]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question, and for championing her constituency and its industries. She makes a very good point, and I recently met her to talk about this. This week, I met Community trade union representatives from the steel sector in her area as well. I am always happy to meet again to see what we can do.