I was delighted to have the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to the home of the UK’s world class steelmaking, and I would like to thank British Steel for their warm welcome.
As the granddaughter of a man who supported his family through his hard work on the steelworks, I know how important the steelworks is to our town and the surrounding villages. You cannot separate the future of our town from the future of the steelworks, and Scunthorpe knows more than anywhere else that this is a vital strategic industry for the United Kingdom.
The meetings we had were constructive, and we touched upon energy costs, the Emissions Trading Scheme and future plans. The visit, along with the work done to date to support our steelworks, shows that the Government cares about the prosperity of our steelworks.
This has been a difficult time for our steelworks as they grapple with issues such as high energy costs. It was good to show the Secretary of State first-hand how we operate here, and I hope this will be reflected in the negotiations between the Government and the steelworks as they continue.
Now is the time to grasp the nettle and carve out a sustainable future for this vital British industry.
I will continue to work with British Steel and the Government, and hope to see the Secretary of State return in the future.