Contributions
624 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD British SteelI grew up in the hon. Lady’s constituency, and I am very familiar with the landscape of steelmaking across Teesside. We need to learn the lessons of this. Across the country,…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The company benefits from very good relationships with customers, and I particularly mention Network Rail. This is important to both sides of…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI hope the hon. Gentleman will acknowledge that we have taken some major steps. First, we have published the proportion of UK steel procured for each Department. Secondly, we have…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI am grateful to the hon. Lady for the spirit in which she approached her response to the statement, recognising that there is a total common purpose across both sides of the…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI agree with my hon. Friend. I was unaware that he had had that early experience in the steel sector. I do not want to make a partisan point, so perhaps I can take this in a…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelIf I am legally permitted, and I do not see why I should not be, I will put the letter of indemnity in the Library of the House. If I am not permitted to do so, I will find a way…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI get the hon. Gentleman’s gist; I know what he requires. He is right to call attention to the fact that, notwithstanding the intentions that everyone in the House has expressed,…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelIt is not a question of having the funds available; it is a question of the legality of being able to deploy them. The right hon. Gentleman will know, as the House will, that I…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that. As I said to colleagues, we should not allow any ideology to influence these decisions, but he is right to draw attention to the…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelThe sector deal was proposed in the industrial strategy. I am keen that there should be a sector deal in the steel industry, but the essence of a sector deal, as the hon.…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelI will continue to do everything I can. It is important to level with the House that I do not run these operations and these assets—they are under the control of the official…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The ceramics industry shares the concerns of the steel industry in needing relief from high energy costs. The industrial energy transformation…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelIt is important that we consider and act on the impact on the wider supply chain, and the group I propose to bring together to support British Steel will include representatives…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelMy hon. Friend is right that the impact of an industry such as steelmaking extends beyond its own limits, and he gives a good example of that. It is important that those impacts…22 May 2019HANSARD British SteelWith your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about British Steel. It was announced this morning that the court has granted an application by the directors of…22 May 2019HANSARDIndustrial Strategy (West Midlands)Our modern industrial strategy is a long-term plan to boost productivity and earning power for people throughout the country. Since 2010, local leaders, working in partnership…16 May 2019HANSARDBritish Steel: EU Emissions Trading ComplianceI thank the hon. Lady for her welcome for the steps that we have taken. She is absolutely right that if a Brexit deal had been agreed, this would not have been necessary: the deal…01 May 2019HANSARDBritish Steel: EU Emissions Trading ComplianceWell, history is important in this because one of the reasons why our electricity prices have been high compared with others is that in the last five years of the previous Labour…01 May 2019HANSARDBritish Steel: EU Emissions Trading ComplianceWhat my right hon. Friend has said is not the case. Our legal obligations for 2018 would be there, and the company would have to comply. Had we left without a deal, the company…01 May 2019HANSARDBritish Steel: EU Emissions Trading ComplianceThe hon. Gentleman started out welcoming the action we have taken and ended up, it seems, withdrawing that support. I will take the first half of his statement at face value and…01 May 2019