Steel Industry

Toby Perkins Excerpts

Wednesday 28th October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Ms Eagle]

If only it was so easy to sort out the problems in the steel industry.

Other countries across the EU support their workers. Other countries across the EU find ways to support their industry. In Germany and the Netherlands, we saw the Governments—

[Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) (Lab)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Ms Eagle]

I am just coming to the end—

[Toby Perkins]

rose—

[Ms Eagle]

Go on then.

[Toby Perkins]

I apologise for interrupting my hon. Friend, who was obviously slightly reluctant to give way. She is making an incredibly important point. One of the things that will upset so many people who recognise the damage that will be done to their communities and the people left out of work is the sense that the Government have not done all they can. They see people in other industries in competitor nations around Europe being much better supported by their Governments. Does not the fact that the Secretary of State refuses even to show up for the debate demonstrate his contempt for steelworkers in our country?

[Ms Eagle]

I am always happy to give way to my hon. Friend, and I am not reluctant ever to listen to him. He makes an important point about other EU countries seemingly much better able and more willing to support their strategic industries. I believe that is because they do not have the ideological qualms that this Government have about the idea of an industrial strategy.

Why will our Government not show the same commitment? We need an active industrial strategy. We need a proactive and strategic Government, not a Business Secretary in thrall to an outdated economic theory and too eager to offer the Chancellor huge cuts to his Department in a bid to burnish his Thatcherite credentials and prepare for the leadership battles ahead. Last week, the Prime Minister claimed that the Government wanted a

“strong and viable steel industry.”—[Official Report, 21 October 2015; Vol. 600, c. 948.]

Now they have to tell us what they intend to do to secure it.