Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the recent announcement of changes to steel safeguard measures due to take effect on 1 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the availability of specialist steel grades and alloys that are not currently produced in the UK; what categories of steel products will remain exempt from the revised quotas and tariffs; and whether he plans to introduce further exemptions where no domestic alternative exists.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The new steel trade measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply for downstream users, including the makeup and length of the transitional arrangement to ease short term impacts. It is not possible to give an estimate of the volume and value of steel subject to contractual commitments before 14 March 2026 given that information is held by individual businesses. However, our measure design has been informed by last year’s Call for Evidence which attracted 100 responses from industry.
The measure has also been designed to only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where this is not feasible for technical reasons, for example where product codes contain both steel products that can be made in the UK and products that cannot be made, quotas sizes are being set with the aim of allowing continued availability of goods to UK downstream users without unnecessary additional costs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the volume and value of steel imports that were subject to contractual commitments before the announcement of revised safeguard measures on 14 March 2026; what transitional arrangements will apply to such contracts after 1 July 2026; and whether he will consider extending the implementation period to avoid financial penalties for businesses that entered into agreements before the policy was announced.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The new steel trade measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply for downstream users, including the makeup and length of the transitional arrangement to ease short term impacts. It is not possible to give an estimate of the volume and value of steel subject to contractual commitments before 14 March 2026 given that information is held by individual businesses. However, our measure design has been informed by last year’s Call for Evidence which attracted 100 responses from industry.
The measure has also been designed to only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where this is not feasible for technical reasons, for example where product codes contain both steel products that can be made in the UK and products that cannot be made, quotas sizes are being set with the aim of allowing continued availability of goods to UK downstream users without unnecessary additional costs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what consultation was undertaken with downstream steel-using industries before the decision to reduce tariff-free steel import quotas and increase safeguard tariffs from 1 July 2026; whether a full economic impact assessment was produced; and if he will publish any analysis of the expected effects on manufacturing output, business investment and employment.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government held extensive consultations with both primary steel producers and downstream users to inform development of the trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025. We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain, through Ministerial and official level engagement, and will monitor implementation of the measure. This includes conducting a review after 12 months to ensure it remains effective and that the balance is right for both producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of revised steel safeguard measures due to take effect on 1 July 2026 on defence procurement programmes, including the AUKUS submarine programme; and whether he has raised concerns with the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the availability and cost of specialist steel products required for defence manufacturing.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The new steel trade measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply so the UK can meet its defence and critical national infrastructure needs. I have engaged closely with my counterparts in other departments, including in the Ministry of Defence, in designing the measure.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in tariff-free import quotas and increase in safeguard tariffs from 1 July 2026 on the number of businesses reliant on imported specialist steel products relocating production overseas; and whether his Department has modelled the potential impact on UK manufacturing capacity and exports.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has held extensive consultations with industry to inform development of the new steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025, and will continue to engage with companies across the supply chain. The measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply so the UK can meet its defence and critical national infrastructure needs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what eligibility criteria will apply to the £350 million Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund and the £120 million ceramics support package; what estimate he has made of the number of businesses and jobs that will benefit from each scheme; how funding will be allocated between capital investment, energy efficiency and other support measures; and when applications for support will open.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is working to determine the scope of these funds and will provide further detail on this and the application process in due course. It is Government’s intent to open these funds to applications in summer 2026.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) industrial energy costs and (b) import competition on the competitiveness of the steel sector; what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on reducing industrial energy costs for steel producers; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the policy of safeguarding tariffs to tackle the challenges facing the industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our Steel Strategy sets out the action we are taking to improve the competitiveness of the sector, including on energy prices and trade.
We have introduced and expanded schemes to reduce the industrial electricity prices of energy-intensive industries, including steel. These are the British Industry Supercharger and the Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme. From April 2027, the Government will also launch the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which will include support for some steel companies. My joint portfolio as Minister serving the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero allows me to ensure that the two departments have a joint up approach on these issues.
We are also introducing a new steel trade measure to protect domestic steelmaking, given the sector’s importance to critical national infrastructure and defence and to build more resilience in the supply chain.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing tariff-free steel import quotas and increasing safeguard tariffs from 1 July 2026 on the competitiveness and costs of businesses in the (a) aerospace, (b) automotive, (c) defence, (d) energy and (e) advanced manufacturing sectors.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has carefully designed this measure to minimise downstream impacts while addressing the existential threat to UK steelmaking. Current production levels are being considered in our work to set quota sizes, and imports will continue to flow to maintain fair and competitive supply chains. We will closely monitor the impacts and will review the measure after 12 months to ensure the balance is right for businesses in all sectors, including aerospace, automotive, defence, energy and advanced manufacturing.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports that lower-paying sectors including hospitality and retail have experienced some of the largest falls in payroll employment and vacancies; what support the Government is providing to businesses in those sectors to retain staff; and whether Ministers have considered temporary reliefs or targeted interventions to prevent further job losses.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The department monitors labour market trends closely and recognises pressures in sectors such as retail and hospitality.
We have introduced permanently lower business‑rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, introduced a £4.3 billion transitional support package and are bringing forward a new High Streets Strategy, to help reinvigorate our communities. In January, the government announced a major support package focused on business rates and licensing reform to help pubs facing sustained pressures with every pub receiving a 15% cut to new business rates bills, followed by a two year real-terms freeze. We have significantly increased the Hospitality Support Fund, with £10 million funding over three years, and have protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to employer NICs by more than doubling the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500.
To create more opportunities for young people at the start of their careers, we have expanded foundation apprenticeships into hospitality and retail.
Ministers continue to engage closely with industry through forums such as the Retail and Hospitality Sector Councils, and keep support under review, focusing on long-term resilience.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of payroll employment; what discussions his Department has had with businesses on hiring freezes and investment plans; and whether he plans to introduce additional support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government is committed to delivering an effective labour market that works for all. The number of payrolled employees remains near record highs, and the UK labour market remaining strong by international standards, with a higher employment rate than the EU, US and Canada.
The government is dedicated to supporting our small and medium-sized enterprises. The Government has already published our Plan for Small Businesses in July, setting out the measures that the government is taking to support small businesses across the UK.
UK businesses can also access our wide range of support via business.gov.uk.