Iron and Steel: Import Duties
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of steel tariffs on the number of jobs in UK manufacturing sectors.
Answered by Chris McDonald
Steel is essential for a modern economy such as the UK, underpinning key industries from construction to advanced manufacturing and defence. The trade measure introduced on 19 March aims to address critical global steel overcapacity challenges that threaten the viability of UK steelmaking, which supports approximately 40,000 direct jobs and 61,000 upstream supply chain jobs. From 1 July 2026, reduced import quotas with 50% tariffs on imports once quotas are exceeded will protect domestic production capacity, helping secure these high-quality UK steelmaking jobs that pay on average 32% above local wages.
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