Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2016 to Question 49056, when he was made aware that French steel was being used to build the Trident successor submarines.

This procurement predates the Government’s steel procurement reforms. Since December 2015, and the publication of steel specific procurement guidance, departments including the Ministry of Defence, are now required to ensure that relevant social and economic factors are taken into account in their procurements, to help ensure UK firms can compete on a level playing field.