Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that proposed steel quotas and tariffs do not apply to steel categories that are not manufactured in the UK but fall within broader product categories; and if he will undertake an impact assessment, in consultation with steel producers and downstream manufacturers, before (a) any such categories are included within the scope of proposed quotas and tariffs and (b) existing quota and tariff levels are increased.

The new steel trade measure has been designed to only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where this is not feasible for technical reasons, quota sizes are being set with the aim of allowing continued availability of goods to UK downstream users without unnecessary additional costs. We have engaged extensively with wider industry to inform the measure’s design and will continue to do so.

We will review the measure after 12 months to ensure it remains effective and the balance is right for producers and downstream manufacturers.