The UK remains the only country to have secured a 10% tariff for automotives within quota - saving hundreds of millions of pounds on UK exports annually.

We will continue to engage with the US Administration, and with the UK autos industry, on how we can best deliver for them.

Supporting the sector remains a priority for this Government, and we will keep industry informed to support business planning and future investment decisions.

The UK's landmark economic deal with the US will protect thousands of jobs, support key British industries, and help drive economic growth.

Officials work closely with HMRC, who are responsible for administrating the steel trade measures, but neither I nor any other Minister in this department has had direct discussions with HMRC on this.

We have designed the measure to strike the right balance for UK industry, strengthening protection for domestic producers while allowing a necessary volume of imports into the UK.

We have set quota levels to reflect the specific needs of the UK steel sector, calibrated against the UK’s production capability, capacity and demand levels and reflecting market conditions.

We will continue to monitor the measure, including the quota utilisation rates, and review it after 12 months.

The Government held extensive consultations with both primary steel producers and downstream users to inform development of the trade measure. This included a Call for Evidence in July 2025. The Explanatory Memorandum to both the affirmative and negative Statutory Instruments sets out how the Government expects the measure to impact different types of businesses, including downstream industries. The department will continue engaging regularly with manufacturers and wider downstream businesses across the supply chain post-implementation. It is worth bearing in mind that 73% of steel imports by value are not covered by the measure.

The new trade measure is being applied in response to significant threat of global steel overcapacity. The steel safeguard expired on 30 June under WTO rules. The UK cannot risk a gap in protection, which would see the loss of steelmaking in the UK and leave us dependent on overseas suppliers for our critical national infrastructure and defence sectors. In finalising the details of the measure, we listened to stakeholders across the supply chain. The Government will continue to engage with industry and actively monitor impacts, including through a review after 12 months. To ease potential short-term impacts, a transitional arrangement is available under which the new measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026.

Details of the finalised steel trade measure quotas were published on GOV.UK on 25 June and I gave a statement on the new steel trade measure on the same day.

The steel trade measure quotas reflect the needs of the steel industry, taking account of production capacity and demand. We therefore expect quota utilisation to be significantly higher than under the existing safeguard.

The new trade measure, alongside our wider steel strategy, will reinforce the UK steel sector’s resilience and help us meet our ambition for domestic production to meet 40–50% of the UK’s steel demand. We will continue to monitor the measure and conduct a review after twelve months.

Yes.

The Government has held extensive consultations with industry to inform development of the new steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025, and will continue to engage with companies across the supply chain. The measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply so the UK can meet its defence and critical national infrastructure needs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.

The steel trade measure will be introduced from 1 July 2026 to ensure there is no loss of protection when the UK steel safeguard expires.

The Government has carefully designed the new steel trade measure to strike the right balance between protecting UK steelmaking and maintaining fair, competitive supply chains for downstream users.

We recognise the need to manage impacts on businesses, and therefore we are introducing a transitional arrangement so that the measure will not apply to goods already under contract before 14 March and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026.

We will also review the measure after 12 months to ensure it remains effective.

The Department is supporting UK meat producers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal. This week, the first agri‑food trade mission visited the United States, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; it provided UK meat producers with direct engagement with a wide range of businesses and opportunities across the US meat sector. The Department will continue to support further market engagement throughout the year, working closely with partners including the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

Through EPD negotiations, the UK has agreed preferential trading terms with the US in a range of sectors. This includes an exclusive 13,000 tonne quota for beef export to the United States. With the quota now open, UK beef producers are positioned to seize new opportunities in the US market.

Discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal continue, covering tariff and non-tariff barriers, including digital and services trade.

We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a trade agreement.

Through EPD negotiations, the UK has agreed preferential trading terms with the US in a range of sectors. This includes an exclusive 13,000 tonne quota for beef export to the United States. With the quota now open, UK beef producers are positioned to seize new opportunities in the US market.

Discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal continue, covering tariff and non-tariff barriers, including digital and services trade.

We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.

Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a trade agreement.

Yes, all beef imported under the reciprocal 13,000‑tonne quota from the United States must meet the UK’s food safety and hygiene standards in precisely the same way as is required of British farmers. It also has to meet wider import requirements, including equivalent welfare standards at slaughter. This deal, which secures UK access to the US market for the first time, does not change the UK’s high environmental standards.

Our approach to trade agreements has ensured, and will continue to ensure, that imported agrifood products meet the UK’s high food standards. We will always maintain UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal or plant life or health, animal welfare, and the environment.

Yes, all beef imported under the reciprocal 13,000‑tonne quota from the United States must meet the UK’s food safety and hygiene standards in precisely the same way as is required of British farmers. It also has to meet wider import requirements, including equivalent welfare standards at slaughter. This deal, which secures UK access to the US market for the first time, does not change the UK’s high environmental standards.

Our approach to trade agreements has ensured, and will continue to ensure, that imported agrifood products meet the UK’s high food standards. We will always maintain UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal or plant life or health, animal welfare, and the environment.

Yes, all beef imported under the reciprocal 13,000‑tonne quota from the United States must meet the UK’s food safety and hygiene standards in precisely the same way as is required of British farmers. It also has to meet wider import requirements, including equivalent welfare standards at slaughter. This deal, which secures UK access to the US market for the first time, does not change the UK’s high environmental standards.

Our approach to trade agreements has ensured, and will continue to ensure, that imported agrifood products meet the UK’s high food standards. We will always maintain UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal or plant life or health, animal welfare, and the environment.

We are delighted that as of January 1, 2026, UK farmers can, for the first time, make use of an exclusive 13,000 tonne quota for export to the United States. What the government has agreed with the US does not impact on our ability to negotiate trade agreements with other trading partners.

Choosing between the US and Europe is a false choice. The UK can and must do both - improve our trading relationship with Europe while agreeing deals with the US and other nations.

On 30 June 2025, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade took the decision to vary the steel safeguard quotas for the final year of the steel safeguard. As recommended by the independent Trade Remedies Authority, this included preventing any unused quarterly quotas from being made available in the following quarter.

This decision was taken to ensure the overall effectiveness of the UK’s steel safeguard measure for domestic producers whilst balancing the need for security of supply for the UK market. I am not considering restoring the quota rollover as part of the steel safeguard.

The UK applies a steel safeguard measure to protect domestic producers against injury caused by unforeseen surges in imports. The decision in June 2025 to vary the steel safeguard, including category 13 (rebar), was made to ensure the measure continues to effectively protect domestic producers whilst balancing the need for security of supply for the UK market.

Steel is a top priority for this Government and is essential for a modern and secure economy, underpinning many sectors which are critical for secure economic growth. The Government is determined to reverse the years of decline and neglect in the steel industry, caused in large part by global excess capacity and market distortions. We will publish our Steel Strategy in early 2026 which will set out an ambitious vision for the sector and a more competitive business landscape.