BLACK COUNTRY MP ADRIAN BAILEY HAILS MANDELSON SUMMIT TO SAVE STEEL JOBS

West Bromwich West MP Adrian Bailey today(Mon) welcomed summit talks with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson over the future of the hard-pressed steel industry.

Mr Bailey convened last week’s summit (on May 14) as the Secretary of the all-party Parliamentary Steel and Metal Related Industry Group, to examine the short-term and long-term difficulties being faced by the steel and metal industries during the economic downturn.

Steel working is a bedrock of Black Country industry and the summit was arranged to give representatives the opportunity to raise concerns with Lord Mandelson and focused on wide ranging challenges facing the industry during the recession.

Mr Bailey said: “This summit demonstrated the value of the all-party Parliamentary Group for Steel and Metal group.

“It allowed key representatives for the industry to have a personal dialogue with the minister on vital concerns and I know this has been appreciated across the board. We look forward to the follow-up meeting before the summer recess.”

The summit, chaired by Jessica Morden, MP for Newport East, aimed to preserve jobs and skills. Industry representatives urgently pressed for action to stimulate demand for steel, assistance with trade credit insurance, security for energy purchases and prices, and the retention of skills within the industry.

Representatives from industry - including Kirby Adams, CEO of Corus Steel, Michael Leahy, General Secretary of Community, Ian Rodgers, Director of UK Steel, John Parker, Director of the Cast Metals Federation, Imran Agha of Thamessteel, and John Beeley from Outokumpu - raised wide ranging concerns with the Secretary of State during the hour and thirty minute summit.

Lord Mandelson confirmed at the talks the Government’s commitment to the steel and metal industries and said he looked forward to working with industry to ensure that significant steps were taken to help during the downturn.

He added: “The steel industry is vital to our economy but it faces very real challenges at this time.

“The Government has announced a number of measures for industry and discussed today how best to face the future.

“We will work with the industry to take forward some of the key issues raised today. In the long-term we need a new, more active industrial policy.

“New Industry, New Jobs sets out how a smarter and more strategic approach from Government - working with industry - can help us boost our capacity to commercialise new technologies, equip our workers with the skills we need and ensure that viable and innovative firms, and that includes the steel industry, can compete with the best.

“My department will continue to work with the steel industry on these new initiatives.”

ENDS.

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Notes to editors:

• Adrian Bailey is the Labour and Co-Operative member of Parliament for West Bromwich West. A Government Parliamentary Private Secretary from 2005 until 2007, Adrian has worked with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Defence and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
•  He is currently a member of the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Select Committee, the European Scrutiny Committee, Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Building Societies and Financial Mutuals and Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Steel.