<p>Thank you, Presiding Officer.&nbsp;It was with sadness that we learnt of the death of Lord Keith Brookman recently. Keith had been ill for a long time, but he is remembered as the former general secretary and assistant general secretary of the&nbsp;Iron and Steel Trades Confederation trade union.</p>
<p>He was a steelworker. He was a steelworker in his soul. He was born and brought up in Ebbw Vale and began his long career in the industry in 1953. Having a period of national service in the RAF, he returned to the steel industry. He was the union's assistant general secretary for eight years, from 1985 to 1993, and then he was elected general secretary, and he remained in post until 1999.</p>
<p>It was no surprise to anyone that, when Keith became a member of the House of Lords, he assumed the title of Lord Brookman of Ebbw Vale. During his time in Parliament, he continued to take an active interest in Welsh affairs, and particularly the steel industry. Through the course of decades, he played an active role on a range of bodies, all of which were focused on steel, both at the domestic and international level. He was part of the European coal and steel committee, the International Metalworkers’ Federation and the European Metalworkers’ Federation. Away from the steel industry, he was also a governor of the Gwent College of Higher Education and a member of the Trades Union Congress educational advisory committee for Wales.</p>
<p>Perhaps the best tribute to him was paid by Neil Kinnock. Neil said that</p>
<p>‘Keith was the real thing—a total trade unionist and a dedicated democratic socialist. His roots ran deep and his ambitions for working class people were limitless. He had great generosity…he had high integrity…. He was also full of mischief, had a great sense of humour and terrific loyalty to his comrades.’</p>
<p>Thank you very much.</p>