Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Tees Valley Mayor, the South Tees Development Corporation and businesses about investment in and the regeneration of in the old Sahaviriya Steel Industries site.

The Government is working with Mayor Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley Combined Authority and the South Tees Development Corporation to promote new investment across the entire development corporation site. Government is looking to promote new developments in low carbon electricity generation; manufacturing and process industries, as well as research and development into innovative technologies aligned with the Industrial Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy. Any proposals for additional funding would need to meet public funding guidelines. On the part of the site owned by SSI-in-liquidation, development is currently constrained because of the charges held by three Thai banks. Negotiations are ongoing to remove these charges by the South Tees Development Corporation, supported by Her Majesty's Government.