The west midlands region is the third largest for steel jobs, with 5,000 positions. Alex Ballinger supports the green transition but calls for a decision to safeguard the future of the sector.

He criticized the previous Government's policies for denying private sector capital investment in the UK's steel industry, highlighting specific instances such as the closure of Redcar blast furnace and the lack of transition to new technology at Scunthorpe. He emphasized the need for a level playing field for investment in the steel industry to attract billions of pounds of private sector investment, and stressed that moving away from blast furnaces towards more efficient technologies is an economic imperative.

Mr Smith expressed concern over the potential closure of Scunthorpe steelworks by Christmas and its impact on jobs, noting that Scunthorpe is the only site in the UK with the ability to produce virgin steel. He criticised the government for not supporting virgin steel manufacturing while new electric arc furnaces are being commissioned.

Mr McMurdock highlighted a message he received, criticising the debate as 'talk is cheap'. He asked the Minister to include in her response steps that the Government will take to secure the future of the steel industry.

Jessica Morden acknowledges the strategic importance of steel and urges the Government to work with businesses, unions, and trade bodies for a fair transition. She highlights Wales's experience with job losses due to deindustrialisation and the need for competitive electricity prices. Ms Morden asked the Minister to take responsibility for the absence of an industrial strategy and steel-specific strategy during the previous 14 years, blaming Labour's repeated requests for a steel strategy that were ignored.

Mr Shannon highlighted the historical importance of steel production in the UK and noted the recent decline in steel production and demand, falling to historic lows in 2023. He mentioned the impact of the Northern Ireland protocol and the war in Ukraine on steel exports from Northern Ireland, as well as the closure of Tata's blast furnace 4 in Port Talbot leading to job losses. Shannon also raised concerns about the UK potentially relying too much on foreign imports for defence industry needs and emphasised the importance of sourcing steel locally for various industries including aerospace and defence. Will the Minister be generous and kind enough to let us know about the situation now and what she hopes progress will be over the next few weeks?

Suggests banning steel from other countries if pursuing net zero increases costs, in response to Jessica Morden's speech.

Vickers expressed concerns about the future of the steel industry in Scunthorpe, highlighting the strategic importance of domestic steel production for defence and growth. He raised worries over rumours of imminent closures at blast furnaces and the importation of steel from abroad, stressing the need for transparency regarding the Government's intentions. Vickers called on the Minister to clarify whether the Government values the work of steelmakers in Scunthorpe and if they are committed to maintaining domestic steel production. The Minister and I share a desire to see a thriving steel industry. Can she give any sort of assurance that there will be no job losses at Scunthorpe until the strategy is produced?