LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Bill Esterson MP, Labour’s Shadow Business and Industry Minister used a visit to Tata Steel’s Shotton Steelworks to confirm his Party’s commitment to the industry.
During his visit to the Deeside site in North Wales, which manufactures around 500,000 tonnes of metallic-coated and pre-finished steel products each year for building, domestic and consumer applications.
The shadow minister met Works Manager, Bill Duckworth and representatives from UNITE and Community Trades Unions, and was shown some of the site’s latest high-tech manufacturing facilities.
Earlier this year the plant announced a sustainability commitment, which includes a target of reducing its carbon footprint by 20% this year alone.
Bill Duckworth said: “It’s always a pleasure to welcome visitors to our business, and to show off our people, our products and our processes. It’s especially important that people such as Bill gain a better understanding of the value that is added throughout our supply chains and the role of our site in local communities.”
Mr Esterson added: “Thank you to Tata Steel for hosting my visit to Shotton and for showing me the innovative system they use for coating steel. I was very impressed by their ability to paint so efficiently and in such large quantities.
“Shotton is an important part of the UK’s steel industry and the commitment from management and trade unions to its ongoing success is an excellent example of partnership working. The steel industry is of strategic national importance to this country, and governments should be partners in supporting our core industries.
“Tata Steel told me about the eye-watering increases in the cost of gas and electricity that they are having to pay. Labour would support energy intensive industries including steel with a £1billion energy fund.”
The shadow minister went on to explain how Labour in government would establish an Industrial Strategy Council to offer the long-term certainty that business needs. Support decarbonisation of key industries such as steel through a climate investment fund, specifically through a green steel fund of £3billion. And they will commit to support the UK’s steel industry through greater use of government procurement. Labour’s plan will ensure we have an exciting future for steel and for successful businesses like those at Shotten Works.