Recommendation 35

We found broad agreement that the UK should retain a primary steelmaking capacity rather than push its emissions and business abroad, a point recognised in the Government’s own Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy. However, if the Government is serious about its emissions targets and given that the nation’s blast Liberty Steel and the Future of the UK Steel Industry 67 furnaces will soon need to be replaced, if the UK is to retain its primary steelmaking capacity then key decisions and certainty are needed imminently. The Government’s Industrial Decarbonisation strategy has so far failed to provide this certainty and the Government must step up its efforts to provide industry with direction and a supportive policy environment to enable it to transition to a low carbon future.