Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his Department's original planned publication date was for the steel strategy; and for what reason the publication of that strategy has been rescheduled to early 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.
Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying the publication of the steel strategy on (a) private sector investment decisions and (b) decarbonisation timelines at the Scunthorpe steelworks.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.
Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the steel strategy will be published before the statutory 30-day consultation period required for any potential changes to the UK steel trade remedies framework expiring in 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.
Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which external stakeholders (a) have been consulted to date and (b) remain to be consulted prior to the publication of the steel strategy in 2026.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.
Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of preventing third parties from booking driving test slots on the range and quality of services driving instructors are able to offer pupils.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.
The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly.
The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department took to communicate information regarding recent operational changes to the driving test booking system to Approved Driving Instructors ahead of those changes coming into force.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country.
The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee.
The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly.
The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.