Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:34 pm on 6 February 2019.
Diolch Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I thank all Members for their contributions to this important debate today? This motion is most welcome and also very consistent with the Welsh Government's position on the steel industry, and so it's my pleasure to support it. I especially enjoyed the many reflections on the history of our steel-making activities here in Wales, with David Rees, Jack Sargeant and Caroline Jones providing some great assessments of the social as well as economic value of our steelworks. I think David Rees welcomed the work of Welsh Government in saving our steel, but he also made the very important point that we, once again, find ourselves standing near a precipice. We've debated many times in this Chamber the principal challenges that impact on the steel sector, and these include, of course, uncompetitive industrial electricity prices, global overcapacity and unfair international steel trading practices. These matters continue to be of huge concern to the sector, but as many Members this afternoon have identified, we now have considerable uncertainty about Brexit. The US section 232 tariffs on steel have highlighted the importance of ensuring the steel sector is safeguarded from unfair international trading practices. We've ensured the concerns of the steel producers in Wales have been raised at the highest level in Westminster.