Sarah Jones MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Lady will know, one of the blast furnaces had already closed by the time we came into government. We had long conversations with Tata about a different model that we had hoped it would pursue. We were unsuccessful with that. We have now improved the outcomes and the support for that workforce, and I was very pleased to be at the first stage of the build of the electric arc furnace at Port Talbot in July, which will secure many thousands of jobs there. We will continue to support Port Talbot with the £500 million that we are investing.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for those remarks; they are gratefully received, and we will continue to do all we can to support the steel industry. She is absolutely right that a number of apprentices were due to start this week, but the official receiver took the decision that, given that the 12-month continuation of the apprenticeships could not be guaranteed, it was right to try to find them other placements. I am taking a close personal interest in what happens to those 50 people. I know the local authority and the Department for Education are trying to ensure that we can find other places for them. I want to make sure that we can do so, because one of the things this Government are passionate about is ensuring that our young people have the apprenticeships to give them support for the jobs that we know we need into the future.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  Liberty Pipes is separate and is not part of this situation at all. Of course, there will be concern in the wider group about the impact—I understand that—but at the moment, there is no crossover. Liberty Pipes will continue to do what it is doing and, I am sure, will continue to support the CCUS industry, which is great news for the workers there, and great news for us.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  As the hon. Gentleman knows, Dalzell is a separate legal entity, so it is not affected, but he is right to worry about the overall situation and its possible impact on the company. I will look into the point he raised about the Scottish Government and Liberty. We are looking at what the steel industry should look like across the whole of the UK; the devolved Governments are involved in the steel strategy, as well as the unions, the industry and others, so we are taking a holistic view of the whole UK to see what we can do with steel.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  Navantia, which is building three ships, has recently entered into a contract to use Liberty’s steel; that relates to the Dalzell plant in Scotland, so it is unaffected by the announcements we have made today. Of course, I work very closely with my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence to ensure that we use British Steel where we can, and that we have the right infrastructure across the country, producing the right types of steel. We produce some types of steel for defence and not others, and some types of steel for shipping and not others. We need to do everything we can to protect British jobs and produce what we can here in the UK.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Mr Speaker. I shall just explain to the shadow Minister how the system works. The Government have not taken over control. That is not the process of the official receiver. The official receiver was appointed following a court case which began in 2024. It has been a very long and arduous case. The hon. Gentleman will hopefully understand that I cannot set out the cost of the official receiver at this point because the official receiver has only just begun his work. It is very early days and we cannot be specific. We know the numbers will be in the millions, as opposed to anything more substantial, because the company is not operating in and of itself. What we are doing is ensuring that the salaries are paid, which I hope the whole House would agree is the right thing to do. Companies will be coming forward and expressing an interest in buying parts of the company, and it will be for the official receiver to look at that and see what process we should go through, but I cannot give the hon. Gentleman the actual numbers on that. I hope the whole House will understand why not. On the shadow Minister’s wider point, if this Government had not intervened, thousands of people would have lost their livelihoods in Scunthorpe; that is a fact. If this Government had not intervened, we would not have had a better deal for the workers in Port Talbot, we would not have been there supporting them in the transition, and we would not be there supporting the building of the electric arc furnace, which began back in July. The shadow Minister asked what this Government have already done. We have already changed the rules on procurement. I have worked closely with colleagues in the Cabinet Office on that to ensure that where Government are spending money, we are spending on British business where we can—something his Government failed to do. On energy prices, we have committed to lowering prices through the reduction in costs that will come from the expansion of the super-charger—something his Government failed to do. We are working on a bold strategy, which we will publish this year, that will build on that. Whether on trade protections—on which we have already taken measures—our scrap policy, R&D, jobs, apprenticeships or skills, we will have a bold strategy because we believe in steel, unlike the previous Government, who said that manufacturing is a Victorian pursuit best left to the Chinese. We do not agree with that approach.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  The official receiver is independent. Of course, we are very interested in this, and are keeping in close touch with the receiver on what comes out of this. The hon. Member’s idea is not necessarily foolish, on this occasion. This is a legal process, and the official receiver legally has to think of the creditors who have suffered throughout—we have to think of them as well, and make sure we do the right thing—but we will continue to do everything we can to make sure that there is a viable future, whatever form that takes.

• 2 Sept 2025 · Speciality Steel UK: Insolvency · Hansard source

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  Of course. I share that gratitude for those amazing colleagues who stand up for what they know to be right and sensible. We are protecting not something that is not worth protecting, but something that has a vibrant and viable future; that is what we are working towards. We are working closely with the South Yorkshire mayoral combined authority and the Mayor. In broader advanced manufacturing in the region, including the innovation district and research centre, there is a huge wealth of expertise and talent that we can build on.