Statement from Economy Minister Ken Skates following Tata Steel announcement

13 Nov 2020 05:13 PM

Economy Minister Ken Skates said: “This announcement will be extremely worrying for Tata Steel workers across Wales, their families, local communities and the supply chain, but we know the steel industry has a future in Wales and the UK.

The First Minister and I spoke with Tata last Friday and they said they are determined to find a sustainable future for operations in the UK and to safeguard the 8,000 workforce, most of which are in Wales.

The First Minister is seeking urgent talks with the Prime Minister and I will speak to the Secretary of State for BEIS and the Secretary of State for Wales to call for urgent action.

The industry is now waiting for the UK Government to take immediate action to safeguard the sector and protect jobs. Every day they are not at the table is another day lost for workers and for an industry of strategic importance.

Welsh Government has offered significant support to Tata over the years to make sure steel continues to have a future in Wales. We will do all we can to protect the future of the industry but we need the UK Government to act decisively and now do the same. It’s imperative that we retain an indigenous steel sector to meet the challenges of not being part of the EU.