Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EU on imposing safeguards on steel and aluminium imports into the EU in order to protect our industries from redirected imports.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has been in close contact with Commissioner Malmstroem and has spoken to her directly about this matter by telephone.

This Department’s officials have been and will continue to be in close contact with their EU counterparts, through bilateral conversations and in the relevant Council bodies, such as the Trade Policy Committee. We will continue to be engaged on this matter and will work closely with the EU on how we can protect our industry from S232 provisions.