Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the strength of the steel industry of the commitment by Heathrow Airport Limited to follow public sector procurement rules on steel purchasing as part of its expansion programme.

The Government welcomes Heathrow Airport Limited’s (HAL) commitment to follow public sector procurement rules for its purchases of steel. It is one of a number of commitments HAL has already made to British industry, including the development of supply chain hubs across the country and that 95 per cent of the procurement spend will be with the UK supply chain. The Government has not made an assessment of the effect that this commitment will have on the strength of the UK steel industry. HAL’s own assessment is that expansion at Heathrow will require tens of thousands of tonnes of steel, securing hundreds of jobs across the industry.