UK Steel Production: Greensill Capital Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
John Spellar
Main Page: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)Department Debates - View all John Spellar's debates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
(3 years, 1 month ago)
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Kwasi Kwarteng
I welcome my hon. Friend’s report and his contribution to the debate around the green industrial revolution. He is absolutely right that, alongside steel, we should consider all forms of innovative and novel materials—advanced materials—that can help us build back greener and more sustainably.
John Spellar (Warley) (Lab)
The three fleet solid support ships, at 40,000 tonnes, are equivalent in size to the two aircraft carriers. That is a lot of steel. Only this week, the Ministry of Defence finally conceded that they will be designated as naval vessels, meaning that they will be built in British yards. When the Secretary of State goes back to his office, will he get on to the Defence Secretary and tell him they must also be built with British steel?
Kwasi Kwarteng
I admire and am always impressed by the right hon. Gentleman’s passion for these issues, and I think he is absolutely right. We do have a need for huge amounts of steel in infrastructure in this country. That is why I have said repeatedly that there is a future for the steel industry in the UK.