Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

US Steel Tariffs

Thursday 20 January 2022 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions were held virtually between the International Trade Secretary and the US Secretary of Commerce to address US section 232 tariffs on UK steel and aluminium exports.
  • The US has agreed to commence negotiations with the UK to remove the imbalance caused by section 232 tariffs, aiming for a good deal for the UK.
  • The International Trade Secretary has been robust in moving the issue forward since taking office, emphasizing the importance of removing unnecessary tariffs on UK steel and aluminium exports.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Hendrick Labour (Co-op) Preston
Business & Trade
Context

The US has imposed section 232 tariffs on UK steel and aluminium imports since 2018, affecting export volumes.

Question

What recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on the tariffs on UK steel exports to the US. The International Trade Secretary will recall the Hallowe'en agreement from last year, when the US gave tariff-free access to the EU for steel and aluminium exports from the beginning of this year, giving a 25% price advantage over UK steel and aluminium exports.

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

I was pleased to meet virtually with the US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, yesterday to discuss the application of US section 232 tariffs. As set out in our joint statement published last night, the US has agreed to commence negotiations with the UK.

Answered
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Q2 Mark Hendrick Labour (Co-op) Preston
Business & Trade
Context

The US has imposed section 232 tariffs, affecting export volumes from the EU to the US.

Question

The International Trade Secretary will recall the Hallowe'en agreement from last year, when the US gave tariff-free access to the EU for steel and aluminium exports from the beginning of this year. That means that the EU will now have a 25% price advantage over UK steel and aluminium exports to the US. Is that what the Prime Minister meant when he said Brexit was about taking back control?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

As I said, it is a Government priority to secure a good deal and ensure that we find the right way forward to get out of the section 232 tariffs, which we are doing at pace. The US Secretary of State for Commerce and I will work to ensure that that imbalance is removed as quickly as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about Prime Minister's statement was not directly addressed

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Q3 Nick Thomas-Symonds Lab Torfaen
Business & Trade
Context

The US has imposed section 232 tariffs since 2018, affecting export volumes from the UK to the US.

Question

At the start of last month, I wrote to the Secretary of State about those steel tariffs which have been in place since 2018 and have already done great damage. In 2017, exports of steel and aluminium to the United States were more than 350,000 tonnes. In 2020, that had fallen to 200,000 tonnes. The situation is urgent, because as my hon. Friend set out, the EU gained a competitive advantage on new year's day with US lifting tariffs for EU member states but not the UK.

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

I assure the House that I have been extremely robust in moving the issue along since coming into post. I am pleased that we were able to launch these negotiations yesterday. It is important that we sort out and remove those unnecessary and burdensome tariffs on the UK.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about Prime Minister raising the issue was not directly addressed

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Q4 Nick Thomas-Symonds Lab Torfaen
Business & Trade
Context

The US has imposed section 232 tariffs since 2018, affecting export volumes from the UK to the US.

Question

The lifting of the tariffs is vital for jobs and livelihoods across the country. The Secretary of State could not confirm that the Prime Minister has raised the issue with President Biden. Are people right to conclude that the Prime Minister is focused on saving himself and does not care about steelworkers' jobs?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

I hope that the right hon. Member will assist us in the negotiations by speaking to their counterparts and indeed all those across the US who want the tariffs removed. I reiterate that at every level of the UK Government we have raised the issue with the US, and we are therefore at the point where we are now starting negotiations.

Not addressed: The specific ask about Prime Minister's involvement was not addressed

How: Speaking To Counterparts

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