The UK Government is committed to British Steel, Secretary of State Kemi Badenoch said during visits to company sites.
The visits to Scunthorpe and Teesside came as talks continue with the UK Government about British Steel’s £1.25-billion decarbonisation plan and the Secretary of State said: “The government is working very hard to keep primary steelmaking capability in the UK.
“This is about more than steel. It is also about economic resilience. It is about sovereign capability. It is about supply chains all across the UK that rely on steel. And one of the reasons that I am here today is to show people not just how much we care, but how much we are doing in order to ensure the steel industry in the UK survives.
“This government is fully committed to UK steel. We are committed to British Steel, to the Tata steelworks in Port Talbot and of course, most importantly, to the communities who have relied on this industry for hundreds of years and whom we know will be able to continue working in steel and in the future green economy that it is going to transition to.”
Detailed studies show electrification would enable British Steel to continue making the products its customers require and it has recently received planning permission to build EAFs in Scunthorpe and Teesside.
Significant preparation works, including environmental and technical studies, and equipment selection, are underway to ensure the company’s ambitious proposals can be delivered at the earliest opportunity while discussions with the UK Government continue.
British Steel has started preliminary talks with trade unions about electrification and has promised to support employees affected by its decarbonisation plans.
