Oral Answers to Questions

Marion Fellows Excerpts

Thursday 15th July 2021 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

What assessment she has made of the potential effect on the UK steel sector of removing tariffs on steel imports.

[The Minister for Trade Policy (Greg Hands)]

The Trade Remedies Authority assesses the UK’s trade remedies and makes recommendations to the Secretary of State. This includes the recent review of the UK steel safeguards. The Government accepted the recommendation of the TRA to extend 10 of 19 steel safeguards. The Government also introduced legislation to allow us to extend the current steel safeguards measure for an initial period of 12 months to a further five categories.

[Marion Fellows]

The Trade Remedies Authority recommended revoking nine of 19 steel safeguards despite calls from the sector and the all-party parliamentary group on steel, which wanted all tariffs extended, but the UK Government will keep only about 15 of them. The UK steel sector is not on a level playing field with competitors because of higher energy costs and the lack of a corporate industrial strategy from this and successive Tory Governments. Is this not another broken Brexit promise to a domestic industry and its workers?

[Greg Hands]

I remind the hon. Lady that we have invested £500 million in recent years to help with the cost of energy. I also remind her of the welcome from the sector for the Secretary of State’s decision on 30 June, when Gareth Stace, director general of UK Steel, said:

“Today the UK steel sector applauds the Prime Minister…and Trade Secretary…for standing up for steel”

and

“taking back control”.