UK Steel Strategy
Lord Harper Excerpts(4 days, 7 hours ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)
The right reverend Prelate raises some important issues. There are two elements here in respect of energy prices. The first is the immediate action we are taking, including the supercharger, to support the steel industry now. The second is the investment we are making in renewable energy, clean power and nuclear energy that will set this country on the right track to low-carbon energy that has high energy security here in the United Kingdom.
The other point, on advanced manufacturing and R&D, goes to one of the particular strengths of the United Kingdom, which is our expertise and the types of firms we have. One benefit of the industrial strategy is linking the sectors we have set out there, which of course include defence, with the importance of high-quality manufactured low-carbon steel, which is what the UK excels in.
Lord Harper (Con)
My Lords, the Minister knows that tariffs are a tax paid by the consumers of the steel that will be introduced. I have looked carefully in the steel strategy, and I cannot see any analysis of the impact of those increased costs on either our domestic construction sector or our domestic manufacturing sector. I ask the Minister, did the Government conduct such an analysis of the impact those tariffs are going to have? If they did not, why not? If they did, can they publish it, so that Members of your Lordships’ House can see the detail of the impact those taxes are going to have on our domestic manufacturing?
Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)
The noble Baroness is right: there is a great market for green steel. Hatch estimates that over 90% of steel demand in the UK in 2050 will be steel produced with low emissions. The transition to net zero is across the entire economy, and we will take that forward across all sub-sectors.
Lord Harper (Con)
My Lords, since there is still time, can I just press the Minister on her attempted answer to my question? She did not confirm that there had been any kind of economic analysis. She said that there had been engagement with the sector. Can she tell us whether the customers of the steel industry—manufacturing and construction—support the introduction of 50% tariffs on their products, and that tax that they are going to have to pay?
Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)
We are still in discussions with much of the sector, explaining what the precise tariffs mean across different sub-sectors, and we are gaining feedback following the publication. We continue to work across many sub-sectors and business areas on implementing the trade measure ahead of 1 July, and we will consider what information we further publish following those consultations.
UK Space Economy
Lord Harper Excerpts(2 weeks, 2 days ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)
I very much agree with the noble and gallant Lord that the UK’s geography can provide particular advantages to the whole of Europe and to NATO. We are very committed to supporting the development of spaceports. Last week, I announced a further £20 million to support the development of spaceports in Scotland, so that is something we are pursuing with vigour.
Lord Harper (Con)
My Lords, I strongly support what my noble friend said about SaxaVord. I was very pleased to consent to the CAA’s regulatory approval when I was the Transport Secretary. I want to press the Minister a little more on the market size that will potentially be available to the UK with that vertical launch capability at SaxaVord. What specific steps will the Government take to ensure that we have that capability in the years to come?
Hospitality Businesses
Lord Harper Excerpts(2 months ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Stockwood (Lab)
I believe the original Question was about helping the hospitality sector. The comment about housing is outside the purview of my domain of expertise as Minister for Investment. However, the Government are investing in young people’s futures holistically. We have seen a sharp decline in apprenticeships. We are trying to implement a new foundation apprenticeship to give young people a route into critical sectors. While I acknowledge that housing is a critical part of that, making the economy grow more holistically is a way that we can ensure that the hospitality sector works in its own right.
Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)
Can you please decide who is going to ask a question on the Conservative Benches?
Lord Harper (Con)
I am grateful to my noble friend. I listened very carefully to the Minister, but he did not answer the question about hotels, particularly family-run hotels. Their rates bills are going to rise by even more than pubs’ and there is no help coming for them. What are they to do? They run fantastic businesses, which attract people to rural areas in particular, but they face rises in their business rates of over 100% in April.
Lord Stockwood (Lab)
The department is in constant dialogue with all industry sectors, including the hotel sector. We are trying to balance support for the overall economy with the need to be fiscally responsible in this Parliament as well. We continue to take feedback and will respond to that, but today we are focused on cutting rates overall, which, as I have said, has been on the agenda within the last couple of Parliaments, but we have taken it head on.