5. Statement by the Minister for Economy and Transport: Tata Steel

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:27 pm on 19 November 2019.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 4:27, 19 November 2019

Okay, look, I know that the Member began her contribution by saying that we had to work on a cross-party basis and we shouldn't attribute blame, but she then used the contribution for pure party political opportunism. The fact of the matter is—[Interruption.] The fact of the matter—[Interruption.] The fact of the matter is that Nigel Farage has talked about the need for a clean Brexit break with the EU, which would in turn revert us to WTO tariffs and rules, which in turn would decimate the steel sector in the United Kingdom; it would destroy the steel industry in the UK. That's not me as a politician saying that—that is steel sector experts. There is no doubt that, if Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party has its way, UK steel production would cease. It would cease in virtually no time whatsoever. It would be a gift to China, it would be a gift to the United States, it would be a gift to the people that the Brexit party loathe, to the Europeans, because they would be able to harvest the hard-fought-for industry that UK steel producers have been able to serve over many, many decades.

There's little more that I can add to the points that I've tried to address that were raised by the Member, but I would say, on another opportunistic point that was made, regarding Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour campaign in the general election, Labour have published incredibly ambitious plans for a green new deal. That green new deal would have to be delivered by taking full advantage of carbon-neutral steel production. It would have to be delivered by ensuring that renewable energy production is supported by the UK steel industry. There is no doubt whatsoever that if Labour came to power at a UK level we would see immediate and decisive action on energy disparity, we would see immediate and decisive action on some form of a steel sector deal to benefit the industry, and we would also see immediate and decisive action to stimulate a sustainable level of economic growth based on green growth.