On Tuesday 12th April, Jo Churchill MP held the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Sajid Javid MP to account regarding the steel industry in the House of Commons.
In an emergency debate concerning the steel industry in the UK, Jo Churchill MP raised her recent meeting with representatives from Woolpit’s Mettalis, a recycling materials company:“Last week I had a meeting with constituents in Suffolk who are heavily involved in the steel industry. We spoke about now, but we also spoke about the future and how to use innovation more effectively in the sector. Will my right hon. Friend meet me and my constituents with a view to extending research and development credits to the steel sector to support the 21st-century steel industry that Members across the House have been talking about?
The Secretary of State responded with: “My hon. Friend makes a very good point. In some parts of the UK where steel plants are based there are enhanced credits and capital allowances through enterprise zones. She makes an interesting suggestion about R and D tax credits that could help the industry more widely, so of course I will meet her."
In questioning the Minister, Jo Churchill has also met with representatives of Materials Processing Institute (MPI) to promote innovation and productivity within the materials sector including steel. Speaking on the topic, Jo Churchill MP said: “With around 50,000 small companies involved in manufacturing materials across the country, the materials sector is critical to the UK economy. However, currently it faces a number of challenges including to industry productivity. Following my meeting with Woolpit’s Mettalis as well as representatives from Materials Processing Institute, I am interested in driving forward industry innovation to help optimise a sustainable steel industry; a point I put to the Secretary of State. I therefore look forward to meeting with the Secretary of State to discuss alternative measures to manage and improve the sector as well as reduce costs and the impact to the environment.”
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-11/debates/1604116000001/…
