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

To ask Her Majesty's Government to which company in the British Steel group of companies they extended a loan of £120 million for the purchase of carbon credits; whether that loan was guaranteed by Greybull Capital and associates; whether the borrower benefited from, or was exposed to, guarantees to other British Steel and Greybull Capital parties; and when that loan was drawn down.

The support was provided to British Steel Limited in the form of a bridge facility. Under the terms of the commercial arrangement, the Government purchased the necessary allowances on behalf of British Steel Limited in the week leading up to 30 April and then surrendered them, via British Steel Limited's Operator Holding Account, to the EU Surrender Account. This occurred before the 30th April compliance deadline to surrender allowances for the 2018 reporting year, thus enabling British Steel Limited to meet its environmental obligations and avoid any penalties that would otherwise have resulted from non-compliance. In return, under a deed of forfeiture, the company’s 2019 allowances will be assigned to the Government once issued, and the proceeds from selling these is expected to cover the costs of purchasing the allowances.

The terms of the commercial agreement between the Government and British Steel are set out in letters from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and the Comptroller & Auditor General, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.