Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Modern Industrial Strategy

Thursday 29 January 2026 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Liz Twist questioned the impact of the previous government on her constituents' living standards and highlighted local manufacturing and engineering firms.
  • Luke Akehurst discussed the decline of proud British industries in County Durham and the need for investment to revitalise communities.
  • Vikki Slade raised concerns about the UK's insufficient rebar mill capacity and the need for stability in the international trade environment.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Economy Business & Trade
Context

The MP references specific businesses in her constituency, such as Slaters Electricals and Petersen Stainless Rigging in Blaydon, Gardner Aerospace and CAV Systems in Consett.

Question

For 14 years under the last Government, my constituents’ living standards stagnated. Across Blaydon and Consett, we have many successful manufacturing and engineering firms such as Slaters Electricals and Petersen Stainless Rigging in Blaydon, Gardner Aerospace and CAV Systems in Consett, and many more. Can my hon. Friend set out how our modern industrial strategy will support businesses in my constituency to raise living standards for my constituents?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Blair McDougall)

My hon. Friend is such a powerful advocate for the industrial strengths of her part of the world, and it is on exactly those strengths that our industrial strategy is working to drive up business investment to create the high-quality jobs that will improve living standards and deliver better public services for everyone. The Government’s northern growth strategy aims to increase the potential of the northern growth corridor to catalyse growth in sectors such as those she describes, and I know we will continue to work with her to make sure her constituents get the most out of that.

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Q2 Luke Akehurst Lab North Durham
Economy Business & Trade Local Government
Context

The MP highlights the long-term decline of manufacturing and engineering industries in County Durham.

Question

County Durham has been home to proud British industries for centuries, but for decades they have been in decline, and communities such as mine in North Durham have paid the price. Our modern industrial strategy will work to fix that. It is going to invest billions in defence, advanced manufacturing and clean power, which are sectors where the north-east has a unique advantage. Can the Minister assure me that our modern industrial strategy will bring jobs, growth and reindustrialisation to my constituency of North Durham?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Blair McDougall)

Yes, I can assure my hon. Friend of that. The industrial strategy recognises the great strengths of the north-east, for which he is such a strong champion. As part of the North East combined authority, County Durham is benefiting from targeted measures, including at least £30 million from the local innovation partnerships fund and the pilot to develop a resilient electric vehicle supply chain. This will support locally critical components and capabilities backed by DRIVE35. We will shortly set out further detail on our northern growth strategy, building on the commitment to invest up to £45 billion in Northern Powerhouse Rail.

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Q3 Vikki Slade Lib Dem Mid Dorset and North Poole
Business & Trade
Context

The MP raises concerns about the limited capacity of UK’s only rebar mill in Cardiff to meet domestic needs, leading to reliance on imports. She highlights the potential impact of ending roll-over tariffs.

Question

There is only one rebar mill in the UK—in Cardiff—and it can make enough to meet only a small portion of our needs, which means that we are reliant on imports. Even if we open a new facility, we will not have enough capacity for things like the rail projects and the 1.5 million new homes. The ending of the roll-over tariffs is leading to unused quotas. Companies such as Hy-Ten in my constituency cannot risk making an order when, by the time it arrives in this country, the quota has been used up and it cannot be imported. Will the Minister meet me to look at the impact of these changes on the ground before they strangle economic growth?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Blair McDougall)

The hon. Lady is right to raise industry worries about the turbulent international trade environment. That is why it is so important that the Government are out in the world engaging—because businesses, including the one that she mentioned, need stability. I would be very happy to arrange that meeting with her.

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