Responding to yesterday’s Statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales on Tata Steel, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood spoke of the vital contribution that Tata Steel Colours in Shotton makes to the north-east Wales economy, and stressed that the “priority must be keeping Tata Steel in business”.
Last Friday, Tata Steel announced that it will split its combined UK and Dutch operations, causing great concern for its employees in Wales.
In the Welsh Parliament yesterday, Mr Isherwood called on the Minister to consider issues at Tata Steel in Shotton, including its more than 700 employees, its apprenticeship programme, and the potential for the site to become a logistics hub, during his engagement with the UK Government and Tata Steel.
He said:
“The Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, and the UK Minister for Business and Industry, Nadhim Zahawi, met Tata Steel early last Friday, ahead of the company's announcement on its commercial operations in mainland Europe. It was agreed that both UK Government and Tata Steel would continue to work together to protect the future of high-quality and sustainable steel making in the UK. I therefore welcome your engagement with them.
“Tata Steel Colours in Shotton remains a key part of the north-east Wales economy. They told me five years ago that they were critically dependent upon the supply chain for sustainable British steel and that they were reliant on feedstock from the heavy end in south Wales, as they described it. What consideration will you therefore give to this during your engagement with both the UK Government and Tata Steel?
“There are still over 700 employees at Tata Steel in Shotton, with its hot-dip galvanising, organic coating, panel line for building systems and its apprenticeship programme. What consideration will you therefore give to these key issues during your engagement with both UK Government and Tata Steel? Tata Steel in Shotton is also in the running to host a Heathrow logistics hub. What consideration will you therefore give to this during your engagement with both UK Government and Tata Steel?”
He added: “Finally, reference was made to the Dŵr Cymru ownership model. As you're aware, I previously worked in the mutual sector for over two decades, for the Building Society that actually merged with the Shotton Steel Building Society—the John Summers Building Society—and I know that, unless mutuals make a surplus, they go out of business, just like a for-profit business. Do you therefore agree with me that the priority must be keeping them in business, with whichever model can best deliver this, rather than putting the ownership models first?”
In his response the Minister agreed that the priority should be keeping them in business and spoke of the “huge potential” for the Shotton site.