Tata Steel

Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:15 pm on 8 January 2020.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 3:15, 8 January 2020

Can I thank the Minister for his answer? On Sunday, in The Sunday Times, the interview published with Mr Natarajan Chandrasekaran—who is the chair of Tata Sons, which is the parent company of Tata Steel—clearly indicated that effectively they were no longer going to look at supporting losses in steel making outside of India. His comments were, 'Why should India keep funding such losses?' This is not new to the workforce, I'm assuming. Clearly, I've met with the unions, I've met with the management, and they're clearly understanding that the transformation programme was about creating sustainability so that their business can be self-sustaining in the future.

However, this comes as another shock to the workforce, making it quite clear to them the challenges ahead following the announcement before Christmas of 1,000 job losses in the UK through Tata. It creates more uncertainty in the workforce. The workforce have done as much as they can, effectively. They are doing everything possible to ensure productivity is improved. They are doing everything possible to make the high-end products.

It is now time, perhaps, for the UK Government to take the decision as to whether it wants a steel-making industry in the UK. I also appreciate the Welsh Government's actions to date. You've been supportive of the Welsh steel industry. But, there now comes a point when you've got to make strong recommendations and calls to the UK Government. Will you now actually call upon the UK Government, whether it's in writing or go and visit them, including the Prime Minister, to reinitiate the steel council, to get this discussion agenda going so that we can talk about the future of UK steel to get the steel sector deal agreed with the Secretary of State?

Perhaps invite the Secretary of State down to have discussions in the Port Talbot works itself, so we can have her seeing, at the position, what the importance is of steel to the economy of Wales. And perhaps yourself could go to India and meet Mr Chandrasekaran to discuss how Tata's future in Wales will be going ahead, because this is a crucial industry, not just for my communities but to many communities across Wales. Therefore, we need to ensure that we can protect steel, but the levers, unfortunately, are not with you—most of them—they are with the UK Government, and we've got to get them to do something.