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 proposed changes to quotas for Category 26 of the UK's Steel Safeguard Measures on downstream manufacturers reliant on imported stainless steel tube; and what steps he is taking to ensure that new quotas do not adversely impact the competitiveness of downstream British manufacturing and exports.

This is not a continuation of the steel safeguard, but a new steel trade measure to address the serious threat posed by global steel overcapacity.

The Government has engaged extensively with industry, including downstream users, to assess impacts. The measure has been carefully designed to balance the needs of domestic producers and downstream manufacturers.

As announced on 25 June, the Government has finalised quotas to strike the right balance between securing the future of domestic capability while maintaining fair and competitive supply chains.

The Government will monitor impacts closely and review the measure after 12 months to ensure UK competitiveness is maintained.