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.

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.