Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives from the Environment Agency on the use of UK produced steel in projects funded by that Agency.

There are regular discussions between Defra and the Environment Agency (EA) on the use of UK produced steel in EA projects. The EA adheres to the Procurement Policy Note regarding 'Procuring Steel in Major Projects' dated 30 October 2015. This was issued to support the UK government's commitment to implementing measures that address any barriers preventing UK suppliers of steel from competing effectively for public sector contracts. It provides guidance on how to take account of steel throughout the procurement process and is in line with the Public Contract Regulations 2015.