Oral Question·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
“If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”
Tabled: 7 March 2024Answered: 14 March 2024
Asked by
Sir John Whittingdale
Conservative — Maldon
Answering Minister
the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Answer from Hansard
John Healey
The hon. Gentleman has put his finger on a long-standing, deep-running weakness, namely a procurement policy under the last Government that did not recognise the UK steel industry as a strategic industry and was content for the amount of UK steel sourced for some new ships to be in the single figures. [Interruption.] Under previous procurement Ministers, the proportion was 4%. We will change that: the SDR will set out a plan to not just boost UK security, but strengthen the UK economy.