Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Kate Dearden]

The hon. Lady will have heard in my earlier remarks that I absolutely recognise those pressures and meet hospitality businesses regularly to hear their concerns; energy costs have, of course, come up as one of the biggest pressures facing them. I recognise the concerns those businesses will have when looking at the Gulf conflict and its possible impacts. As the hon. Lady will have heard in my earlier answer, the real risk to businesses is dependence on the volatile international gas markets, which has left us exposed. She will know the work that we are doing in different Departments to recognise that and to tackle that root cause in order to provide better support for businesses. We are looking at the unstable energy markets that have left us exposed and trying to ensure that we have more power here in Britain; we will work with the sector closely and across Government on that.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

8. What steps he is taking to increase trade ties with Europe.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

14. What steps he is taking to increase trade ties with Europe.

[The Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Peter Kyle)]

UK-EU collaboration is vital for growth and security, with 46% of the UK’s total trade, after all, with the EU. In recent weeks, I have gone to Brussels and signed a new competition co-operation agreement, furthering the partnership between our two territories in the interests of businesses. I had constructive meetings with Commissioners Ribera, Mînzatu and Virkkunen.

[Tom Rutland]

After years of the Conservatives and Reform trying their best to ruin our relationship with our nearest neighbours, and damaging business exports, this Labour Government have been working hard to ensure that my constituents feel the benefit of our renewed relationship with the European Union. Will my right hon. Friend update the House on the work he is doing to ensure that businesses like Worthing’s very own musical instrument business Hobgoblin Music can benefit from the reset in relations we have had with our European neighbours?

[Peter Kyle]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour down in sunny Sussex for that question. The reset relationship with the EU has been fundamental and has delivered for businesses right across Britain, including Hobgoblin in Worthing on the sunny south coast of England. We are tackling the barriers to trade. The dialogue we have with the EU on business mobility and recognition of professional services will unlock opportunities into the future. Where working with the EU delivers for Britain, we will do so enthusiastically.

Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill

Tom Rutland Excerpts

2nd reading
Saturday 12th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

Today, we are taking an extraordinary but necessary step not just to safeguard a single industry, but to defend the long-term interests of our country. On that point of interests, I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Let us be clear: today is about not nostalgia, but national resilience and securing Britain’s future. Retaining a sovereign, primary steelmaking capability is critical to our economy and our national security, because steel is the backbone of our infrastructure, defence, energy and transport systems. Without the capacity to make steel from raw materials here in Britain, we are at the mercy of global markets and geopolitical shocks, and we would be outsourcing not just production, but power. Although we are resolute in our commitment to a green industrial future, the transition to clean steel must be a managed and just transition, not a cliff edge. That means keeping the furnaces operating in Scunthorpe as we establish and scale up the electric arc furnaces, because if we lose our primary steelmaking capability, we will not get it back. The skills will be lost, the supply chains broken and we will become entirely dependent on other countries, many of which do not share our environmental or labour standards, or, indeed, our geopolitical outlook.

Let us not forget the people. This is about jobs—good, unionised, skilled jobs that sustain communities, generations of families and the dignity of work. The steelworkers in Scunthorpe are not just making steel; they are making Britain. We owe it to them to ensure that this industry has a future. I pay tribute in particular to the work of Community and GMB unions, which have fought for the future of British steelmaking and British Steel workers.

The Labour party was founded to give working people a voice in Parliament, and, today, as a Government, we are honouring that legacy by standing up for British industry, British workers and Britain’s future. I am proud to support this legislation and I urge all Members to do the same.