Commenting on reports following the tabling of his Written Questionsregarding the steel to be used in Type-26 Frigates and announcements from BAE, Stephen Kinnock, Member of Parliament for Aberavon, home of the Port Talbot steelworks, said:

“It is a disgrace that the majority of steel to be used in the Type-26 frigates will be foreign steel, rather than British steel.

“So while this is progress compared to previous instances of procurement, that is in large part because the government had se thte expectation bar so low. So we cannot help but remain disappointed to hear that the majority of the steel used will be foreign.

“What we have here is a Government that thinks it knows the price of everything, but clearly knows the value of nothing. It may be quicker and cheaper in the short term to use Swedish steel, but if the government had a proper industrial strategy and genuine commitment to the British steel industry they would be providing the pipeline data that the steel industry and workforce have been calling out for now for years.

“If the government, and in particular the MoD, would heed the calls of the steel industry for better pipeline data and a more reasonable lead in period for forthcoming procurement contracts, then we know that the British steel industry could provide the majority of steel required for these kind of projects.