Emergency debate on Tuesday, 12 April 2016, in the House of Commons, led by Angela Eagle. The answering member was Sajid Javid.

UK Steel Industry

Motion that this House has considered Tata Steel’s decision to sell its UK steel operations; and action the Government is taking to secure the future of the UK steel industry. Emergency debate following a Standing Order No. 24 application. Agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 608 cc187-239
Session: 2015-16
Department: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Related items: Tata and the UK Steel Industry
Monday, 11 April 2016
Parliamentary proceedings
House of Commons
Proceeding contributions: Angela Eagle | 608 c188 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered Tata Steel’s decision to sell its UK steel op...; Simon Hoare | 608 c188 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Lady give way?; Angela Eagle | 608 c188 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way, but I must say that I will not give way as generously as I normally do, because ...; Simon Hoare | 608 c188 (Link to this contribution)
The First Minister of Wales has called on all parties to come together to work towards a future, ...; Angela Eagle | 608 cc188-9 (Link to this contribution)
We will judge the Government by their actions and their achievements rather than their words.
...; David Anderson | 608 c189 (Link to this contribution)
As someone with a Tata presence in my constituency, I wonder whether the shadow Secretary of Stat...; Angela Eagle | 608 cc189-190 (Link to this contribution)
It is regrettable that there was not a recall of Parliament, but we are where we are, and we have...; Ian Lucas | 608 c190 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend agree that the way forward was shown by the Labour Government before the 2010...; Angela Eagle | 608 c190 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I hope that the Secretary of State is taking note.
The ...; Richard Fuller | 608 c190 (Link to this contribution)
I do not want to pre-empt what the hon. Lady may say, but will she confirm that it is the policy ...; Angela Eagle | 608 c190 (Link to this contribution)
What needs to be done is what is necessary to preserve, restructure and ensure the survival of ou...; Clive Betts | 608 c190 (Link to this contribution)
On that point, we heard nothing yesterday from the Secretary of State, either at the meeting of t...; Angela Eagle | 608 cc190-2 (Link to this contribution)
I hope that we will have the chance to hear about concrete action from the Government in this deb...; Ian Lucas | 608 c192 (Link to this contribution)
I would like to share with my hon. Friend the fact that I received a letter from the Prime Minist...; Angela Eagle | 608 c192 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes a telling point, and I hope that the Government will connect those two thing...; Geraint Davies | 608 c192 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend share my concern that certain major procurement projects, such as High Speed ...; Angela Eagle | 608 cc192-3 (Link to this contribution)
I agree with my hon. Friend, and when we see the Chancellor travelling around China and asking th...; Sajid Javid | 608 c193 (Link to this contribution)
The whole House will have been deeply concerned by the crisis that has affected the global steel ...; David Anderson | 608 c193 (Link to this contribution)
The Secretary of State said that we must not forget. I assure him that there are people in this H...; Sajid Javid | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
I am sure the hon. Gentleman agrees with me that when there are job losses and the Government can...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Secretary of State give way?; Sajid Javid | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
I will plough on, but I will give way in a moment. I am about to speak about Redcar, and I know t...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
The Secretary of State said that the Government would do everything possible for the communities ...; Anna Soubry | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
It is £90 million.; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
Oh, is it £90 million now? We have heard previously, from that Dispatch Box—[Interruption.]; John Bercow | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Shush, junior Minister. We do not need you to burble from a sedentary position. Be quiet! ...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
Not so long ago, at that Dispatch Box, the Secretary of State changed the figure to £50 million. ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
I thought I heard the hon. Gentleman say “up to £90 million”. What we have always said is “up to ...; Anna Turley | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
I do not want to take up too much time, because I shall be speaking later, but the figure of 600 ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c194 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady has made a very important point: at the end of the day, it is about work. Training ...; Andy McDonald | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
Does the Secretary of State begin to appreciate how this flows into the community? A medical cent...; Sajid Javid | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: there can be a devastating effect on the community that g...; Geraint Davies | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Secretary of State give way?; Sajid Javid | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way once more, but then I must plough on.; Geraint Davies | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
The Secretary of State may know that I worked very hard with Members on both sides of the House t...; Sajid Javid | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
I will move on to the subject of Tata in a moment, but the hon. Gentleman is right to identify pe...; David TC Davies | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
Surely my right hon. Friend agrees that, rather than compensating businesses for a tax that we le...; Sajid Javid | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
Given what my hon. Friend has said, I presume that our move towards exemption rather than compens...; Clive Betts | 608 c195 (Link to this contribution)
Does the Secretary of State accept that the support that the Government are giving our steel indu...; Sajid Javid | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
By calling it a fraction, the hon. Gentleman underplays the help that this support is providing t...; Alex Cunningham | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
In a meeting with the Industrial Communities Alliance, which represents traditional industrial ar...; Sajid Javid | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
I will come on to trade defence instruments in just a moment.
I want to talk about the deli...; Stephen Doughty | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
The Secretary of State makes much of the changes he is making on procurement. The Minister for De...; Sajid Javid | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman might hear more from the Minister for Defence Procurement in the coming days, ...; Nicholas Dakin | 608 c196 (Link to this contribution)
I certainly agree that Network Rail provides a case study in how to do procurement, and it is to ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c197 (Link to this contribution)
We have had meetings with that particular company and many others in a similar situation. The hon...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 608 c197 (Link to this contribution)
The European Steel Association’s spokesperson, talking about the change to the lesser duty rule, ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c197 (Link to this contribution)
I will turn to that in just a moment.; Caroline Flint | 608 c197 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Business Secretary for taking my intervention. I hope that he will also answer the qu...; Sajid Javid | 608 c197 (Link to this contribution)
I can tell the right hon. Lady that no stone remains unturned in our efforts to help to sell as m...; Ian Lucas | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
I referred earlier to the Labour Government’s intervention on car scrappage before the 2010 elect...; Sajid Javid | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
As the hon. Gentleman will know, we have sector councils for both those industries, and we meet r...; Jonathan Edwards | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
I have read some very interesting statistics in the past week. There has been a 43% decline in th...; Sajid Javid | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
I do not know where the hon. Gentleman gets his numbers from, but this brings me to a useful poin...; Adrian Bailey | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
Steel companies are seriously concerned that the granting of market economy status to China will ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
First, that will be a decision for the EU. We will, of course, have an input, but it will be a co...; Edward Leigh | 608 c198 (Link to this contribution)
Does the Secretary of State accept that many on this side of the House believe that it is for thi...; Sajid Javid | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
We have led the way in taking action, which has resulted in the right tariffs, which have helped ...; Stephen Doughty | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Secretary of State give way?; Sajid Javid | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way once more on this.; Stephen Doughty | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
While we are still on tariffs, the Secretary of State mentioned the tariff on rebar and the drop ...; Sajid Javid | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
We should always be driven by the evidence. The 99% fall in imports year on year, resulting from ...; Richard Fuller | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend mentioned the action that the Government have taken on procurement and their...; Sajid Javid | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend will know that that comment related to Tata’s decision to sell its strip products ...; Adrian Bailey | 608 c199 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Secretary of State give way?; Sajid Javid | 608 cc199-200 (Link to this contribution)
Not now.
The action taken on tariffs, energy costs and procurement has sent a powerful mess...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c200 (Link to this contribution)
I understand where the Secretary of State is coming from but, taking a broader view of co-investm...; Sajid Javid | 608 c200 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman makes an interesting point. He will know that Catapult centres are a partnersh...; Christina Rees | 608 c200 (Link to this contribution)
Hundreds of apprentices at the Port Talbot works receive on-the-job training while attending loca...; Sajid Javid | 608 cc200-1 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady makes a key point about the importance of skills and training, and I can assure her...; Neil Gray | 608 c201 (Link to this contribution)
I congratulate the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) on securing this debate; I appreciate your...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c201 (Link to this contribution)
On what the hon. Gentleman said about terms and conditions, that ends up going to ballot, after b...; Neil Gray | 608 cc201-2 (Link to this contribution)
I take the hon. Gentleman’s intervention in the spirit in which it was clearly given.
As I ...; Mark Pawsey | 608 c202 (Link to this contribution)
We had a statement yesterday!; Neil Gray | 608 cc202-3 (Link to this contribution)
I have already said that yesterday was the first time the Government had proactively done this, a...; 608 c203 (Link to this contribution); John Bercow | 608 c203 (Link to this contribution)
Order. On account of the level of interest, there has to be a time limit. We will begin with a si...; Peter Bone | 608 cc203-4 (Link to this contribution)
It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Neil Gray), who speaks f...; Edward Leigh | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
This is a vital national industry. Can my hon. Friend imagine any previous UK Government, in war ...; Peter Bone | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is correct. That is the problem. I am afraid that the two Front-Bench teams cannot...; Stephen Doughty | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
I was in agreement with much of what the hon. Gentleman was saying until he got on to his usual t...; Peter Bone | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
I completely disagree with the hon. Gentleman. I think that his analysis is absolutely wrong and ...; David Mowat | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Peter Bone | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
I will not give way again; Angela C Smith | 608 c204 (Link to this contribution)
On that point—; Peter Bone | 608 c205 (Link to this contribution)
No, I cannot give way, because other Members wish to speak.
It is interesting to note that,...; Stephen Kinnock | 608 cc205-6 (Link to this contribution)
I wish to start today by thanking both the shadow Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member f...; Sajid Javid | 608 c206 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about the companies in the supply chain and the custo...; Stephen Kinnock | 608 cc206-7 (Link to this contribution)
I fear that the Secretary of State has misunderstood me. I am simply saying that it is very impor...; Andy McDonald | 608 c207 (Link to this contribution)
Was my hon. Friend as surprised as I was to hear that, when the Chancellor went to China, he invi...; Stephen Kinnock | 608 c207 (Link to this contribution)
I was not surprised. Let me remind the House that 80% of the Chinese steel sector is state owned....; Jonathan Edwards | 608 c207 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman will know that his colleagues in the Welsh Government have spent £80 million o...; Stephen Kinnock | 608 c208 (Link to this contribution)
There is a stark contrast between the actions of the Welsh Government and the actions of the UK G...; Richard Fuller | 608 c208 (Link to this contribution)
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Aberavon (Stephen Kinnock), but it is unfortunate ...; Caroline Flint | 608 c208 (Link to this contribution)
Mrs Thatcher did not have an industrial strategy.; Richard Fuller | 608 cc208-9 (Link to this contribution)
No, this is a lesson that we all need to learn. [Interruption.] If the right hon. Lady stops chun...; David Mowat | 608 c209 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend have a view about why Chinese dumping affects the UK industry much more than ...; Richard Fuller | 608 cc209-210 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend speaks very intelligently. Private companies make decisions in different markets a...; Iain Wright | 608 cc210-1 (Link to this contribution)
It is an absolute pleasure to follow my colleague on the Select Committee on Business, Innovation...; Andy McDonald | 608 c211 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend talks about the absence of an early-warning system. In his capacity as Chair of th...; Iain Wright | 608 cc211-2 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes an important point. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills shoul...; 608 c212 (Link to this contribution); John Bercow | 608 c212 (Link to this contribution)
A five-minute limit on Back-Bench speeches will now apply.
2.15 pm; Tom Pursglove | 608 cc212-3 (Link to this contribution)
It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright), whose constituency h...; Nick Clegg | 608 c213 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman makes a compelling point on anti-dumping tariffs. Does he agree that the issue...; Tom Pursglove | 608 c213 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that intervention. We ought to take another look at...; Peter Bone | 608 c213 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who I know was at the Corby steelworks three times last week. Do...; Tom Pursglove | 608 c213 (Link to this contribution)
The former Deputy Prime Minister probably knows better than most how inefficient the European Uni...; Nick Clegg | 608 c213 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Tom Pursglove | 608 cc213-4 (Link to this contribution)
I am not going to give way, because I am very conscious of the time.
As well as getting the...; Angela C Smith | 608 c214 (Link to this contribution)
Co-investment.; Tom Pursglove | 608 c214 (Link to this contribution)
That is absolutely right. I want to hear a little more to be able to ascertain exactly what Minis...; Angela C Smith | 608 cc214-6 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this very important debate, particularly because I have 900 v...; David TC Davies | 608 cc216-7 (Link to this contribution)
I, too, want to thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this important debate. Steel is a huge part o...; Peter Bone | 608 c217 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech. Will he explain how our industry is supposed to compe...; David TC Davies | 608 cc217-8 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend makes an important point. However, if Members on both sides truly believe that car...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 cc218-9 (Link to this contribution)
This is not just about the obvious news stories about Port Talbot or the strip industry; it invol...; Richard Fuller | 608 c219 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman is talking a lot of sense. On the issue of time and co-investment, the Governm...; Tom Blenkinsop | 608 c219 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention and for giving me some more time. I really apprec...; Lord Davies of Gower | 608 cc219-221 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this extremely important debate. I thank the Secret...; Mark Tami | 608 cc221-2 (Link to this contribution)
Tata’s announcement that it would no longer support its operation at Port Talbot came as no surpr...; Jessica Morden | 608 cc222-3 (Link to this contribution)
We have two important debates this afternoon: this one on steel, and the debate later on the cont...; Marion Fellows | 608 cc223-4 (Link to this contribution)
I thank all those who managed to get your permission to hold this debate, Mr Speaker.
I was...; Nick Thomas-Symonds | 608 cc224-6 (Link to this contribution)
There have always been the strongest of links between the constituency of Torfaen and the steelwo...; Andy McDonald | 608 cc226-7 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) for securing this hugely impor...; Nicholas Dakin | 608 cc227-8 (Link to this contribution)
In the middle of 2014, Tata announced that it would dispose of its long products business. It has...; Margaret Ferrier | 608 cc228-9 (Link to this contribution)
Although I thank the shadow Business Secretary for securing this emergency debate, I find myself ...; Stephen Doughty | 608 cc229-231 (Link to this contribution)
First and foremost, I praise my Front-Bench colleagues for securing this debate and Mr Speaker fo...; Geraint Davies | 608 c230 (Link to this contribution)
Port Talbot is an industrial jewel in the crown of Swansea bay. Thousands of people in the commun...; Christina Rees | 608 c230 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government could see the current threat to the UK steel indust...; Geraint Davies | 608 c232 (Link to this contribution)
We need to look creatively at company structure and procurement. We also need to think about the ...; 608 c232 (Link to this contribution); Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 608 c232 (Link to this contribution)
Order. We are running out of time, so I am afraid I have to reduce the limit to four minutes.
...; Anna Turley | 608 cc232-3 (Link to this contribution)
Yesterday, the Secretary of State pledged his commitment to the steel industry, which I welcome, ...; Andy McDonald | 608 c233 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend agree that trying to land a bill of £1.1 billion on the Teesside communities ...; Anna Turley | 608 cc233-4 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I want a further commitment from the Government that they wil...; Kate Hollern | 608 cc234-5 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, and I would like to thank my hon. Frien...; Kevin Foster | 608 c235 (Link to this contribution)
Will the hon. Lady give way?; Kate Hollern | 608 c235 (Link to this contribution)
No. [Interruption.] Perhaps the Minister will listen, because to avoid a fire sale, which would b...; Greg Mulholland | 608 cc235-6 (Link to this contribution)
I am pleased to participate in this important debate, and I am delighted that the Speaker granted...; Lord Brennan of Canton | 608 cc236-7 (Link to this contribution)
Yet again, we have had a very good debate on the steel industry, featuring plenty of contribution...; Baroness Laing of Elderslie | 608 c237 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Let us stay calm. The hon. Member for Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan) may wish—I would strong...; Lord Brennan of Canton | 608 cc237-8 (Link to this contribution)
I think that the new Secretary of State needs to sit there in silence and listen to what is being...; Anna Soubry | 608 cc238-9 (Link to this contribution)
I begin by paying tribute to all those who have spoken in the debate. With few if any exceptions,...
Subjects: Closures Defence equipment China Government assistance EU action Import duties Iron and steel Manufacturing industries Redundancy Prices Surpluses Port Talbot Tata Steel
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

UK Steel Industry

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