MP calls on Welsh Office to back steel industry
26th November 2012
Aberavon’s Labour MP Dr Hywel Francis has called on the Conservative Welsh Office to follow the lead of the Welsh Government in setting up a task force to back the Welsh steel industry.
Dr Francis said after the Tata steel redundancy announcement on Friday,
‘I am calling on the Welsh Secretary David Jones to keep faith with the Welsh steel industry by joining in the partnership of the Welsh Government, Tata Steel, steel unions and local authorities in defending our steel industry. Tata has invested £250m in Port Talbot alone: what is the Government doing?
The Welsh Office needs to respond positively and urgently to the crisis in the industry. I shall be seeking an urgent meeting with the Welsh Secretary this week to explore ways of giving more Government support to our vital steel industry.
Dr Francis added
‘The Welsh Government has shown the way with its task-force. I am not prepared to stand by and allow this key part of the Welsh economy to battle on alone.
Steel MPs all over the country are calling on the Government to tackle the high energy costs faced by the industry. We will provide a list of strategies which could be implemented immediately to help British manufacturing in general and steel in particular.
