John Healey has called on the Business Secretary to ensure HMRC get back around the table with Liberty Steel after the company was recently hit with a winding up order.
In a letter to Kwasi Kwarteng MP – Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – John has reinforced the importance of the steel industry to both the local and national economy.
Read John’s letter to the Business Secretary here.
The UK steel industry is facing a perfect storm of challenges with rising energy costs, supply chain disruption and entry tariffs for the US market which other major steel-making nations except Britain have persuaded the Americans to remove.
John Healey has said: “This news is deeply unsettling for workers in Rotherham who again face huge uncertainty about their future.
“HMRC’s winding up petition raises serious concerns about Liberty’s steel making future in South Yorkshire.
“I plan to hold the company to their pledge that this announcement will have ‘No immediate impact on our businesses or employees’.
“I will continue to work with other steel MPs to meet with ministers about the government action needed to support our UK steel industry.”
In his letter to the Business Secretary, John has pressed that “Steel is a backbone industry for the UK economy and UK sovereignty…I therefore write to urge you as Business Secretary to ensure HMRC get back around the table with Liberty to reach a repayments agreement and avoid the risk of Liberty being forced out of business by the Government.”