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| British Steel: Government 'confident' Scunthorpe furnaces can be kept firing | British Steel: Government 'confident' Scunthorpe furnaces can be kept firing |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Downing Street has said it is "confident" the raw materials needed to keep the furnaces at British Steel's Scunthorpe site switched on will reach it in time. | Downing Street has said it is "confident" the raw materials needed to keep the furnaces at British Steel's Scunthorpe site switched on will reach it in time. |
| The government has been attempting to source the material needed to fuel the plant's central blast furnaces since taking control of it on Saturday, and has confirmed a shipment will arrive "in the coming days". | |
| Ministers seized control of operations after talks with British Steel's Chinese owner Jingye broke down, and the government accused the firm of planning to switch the furnaces off. | Ministers seized control of operations after talks with British Steel's Chinese owner Jingye broke down, and the government accused the firm of planning to switch the furnaces off. |
| Beijing has accused the British government of "politicising trade cooperation" and said the move raised doubts about investment in the UK. | Beijing has accused the British government of "politicising trade cooperation" and said the move raised doubts about investment in the UK. |
| Officials had been attempting to obtain the coking coal and iron ore needed to power the steel-producing furnaces - materials which ministers have accused Jingye of selling off. | Officials had been attempting to obtain the coking coal and iron ore needed to power the steel-producing furnaces - materials which ministers have accused Jingye of selling off. |
| Speaking during a visit to the site on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said "everything is in place" for the furnaces to continue to fire after the fuel materials were secured. | |
| Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman confirmed efforts to ensure a "steady supply" had progressed. | |
| Two shipments of both materials are being held at Immingham docks, 30 miles east of Scunthorpe, and will reach the steelworks first, he said - while a third shipment of raw materials is onboard a vessel off the coast of Africa and making its way to the UK. | Two shipments of both materials are being held at Immingham docks, 30 miles east of Scunthorpe, and will reach the steelworks first, he said - while a third shipment of raw materials is onboard a vessel off the coast of Africa and making its way to the UK. |
| The spokesman also suggested the order of supplies had begun prior to the government taking control of the site, but that "there were contractual issues that have now been sorted". | The spokesman also suggested the order of supplies had begun prior to the government taking control of the site, but that "there were contractual issues that have now been sorted". |
| Sourcing and transporting the raw materials to the Scunthorpe plant quickly is critical because blast furnaces can sustain permanent damage if their temperature drops too low, while restarting a furnace is also costly and complex. | Sourcing and transporting the raw materials to the Scunthorpe plant quickly is critical because blast furnaces can sustain permanent damage if their temperature drops too low, while restarting a furnace is also costly and complex. |
| An emergency law was rushed through Parliament on Saturday which gave the government control of the Lincolnshire site to prevent Jingye from closing the furnaces against ministers' wishes. | |
| On Monday, the government appointed two long-standing British Steel employees to run the plant on an interim basis. | On Monday, the government appointed two long-standing British Steel employees to run the plant on an interim basis. |
| The situation at British Steel has raised questions about Chinese investment in industries the UK government has deemed strategically critical. | The situation at British Steel has raised questions about Chinese investment in industries the UK government has deemed strategically critical. |
| Treasury minister James Murray told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, while Jingye had "clearly behaved irresponsibly", the actions of one firm did not "speak to all companies who are based in China". | Treasury minister James Murray told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that, while Jingye had "clearly behaved irresponsibly", the actions of one firm did not "speak to all companies who are based in China". |
| He also said there needed to be a "high level of scrutiny" for any foreign investment in critical infrastructure. | He also said there needed to be a "high level of scrutiny" for any foreign investment in critical infrastructure. |
| The UK government has so far stopped short of taking British Steel back into full public ownership but has not ruled out nationalisation, while also looking for potential private investors to fund operations at Scunthorpe. | The UK government has so far stopped short of taking British Steel back into full public ownership but has not ruled out nationalisation, while also looking for potential private investors to fund operations at Scunthorpe. |
| While Rayner said the government wanted to work with the company to continue to secure the site, as well as explore alternative private investment, she said no option was "off the table". | |
| China's embassy in the UK has urged ministers to negotiate with Jingye to "find a solution acceptable to all parties", while its foreign ministry urged the UK government to hold further talks with Jingye. | China's embassy in the UK has urged ministers to negotiate with Jingye to "find a solution acceptable to all parties", while its foreign ministry urged the UK government to hold further talks with Jingye. |
| According to AFP news agency, spokesman Lin Jian said: "It is hoped that the British government will... avoid politicising trade cooperation or linking it to security issues, so as not to impact the confidence of Chinese enterprises in going to the UK for normal investment." | According to AFP news agency, spokesman Lin Jian said: "It is hoped that the British government will... avoid politicising trade cooperation or linking it to security issues, so as not to impact the confidence of Chinese enterprises in going to the UK for normal investment." |
| Hopes raised for site's future | Hopes raised for site's future |
| On Monday morning, Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community Union - which represents the majority of steelworkers - said the blast furnaces are "in a far better position" than before the government stepped in. | On Monday morning, Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community Union - which represents the majority of steelworkers - said the blast furnaces are "in a far better position" than before the government stepped in. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Rickhuss said he was certain the plant would remain running and that the furnaces were "secure". | Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Rickhuss said he was certain the plant would remain running and that the furnaces were "secure". |
| Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, from the GMB Union, told BBC Breakfast that she had spoken to British Steel on Sunday night and had been reassured the raw materials would be secured by the government. | Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, from the GMB Union, told BBC Breakfast that she had spoken to British Steel on Sunday night and had been reassured the raw materials would be secured by the government. |
| Watch: "I don't want to feel relieved until it's all sorted" - British Steel workers cautious over plant's future | Watch: "I don't want to feel relieved until it's all sorted" - British Steel workers cautious over plant's future |
| The Scunthorpe plant employs 2,700 people and is the last site in the UK that can produce virgin steel, a high-grade product which is needed for large construction projects. | The Scunthorpe plant employs 2,700 people and is the last site in the UK that can produce virgin steel, a high-grade product which is needed for large construction projects. |
| Without the plant, the UK would be the only member of the G7 group of leading economies without the ability to make virgin steel - which the government believes is a risk to the country's economic security. | Without the plant, the UK would be the only member of the G7 group of leading economies without the ability to make virgin steel - which the government believes is a risk to the country's economic security. |
| The site produces the majority of rail tracks used by Network Rail. The company said it does not expect "any impact on the continued delivery of reliable rail services" as it built up a stockpile of steel in anticipation of the plant's possible closure. | The site produces the majority of rail tracks used by Network Rail. The company said it does not expect "any impact on the continued delivery of reliable rail services" as it built up a stockpile of steel in anticipation of the plant's possible closure. |
| The virgin steel made there is also critical for large-scale infrastructure developments, such as building nuclear power plants like the ongoing Hinkley Point C project in Somerset. | The virgin steel made there is also critical for large-scale infrastructure developments, such as building nuclear power plants like the ongoing Hinkley Point C project in Somerset. |
| However, in March, Jingye said the Scunthorpe site was losing £700,000 a day, which it said was "no longer financially sustainable", and the company began a consultation on job cuts. | However, in March, Jingye said the Scunthorpe site was losing £700,000 a day, which it said was "no longer financially sustainable", and the company began a consultation on job cuts. |
| Talks with Jingye last week failed to produce a breakthrough. The government said the company had rejected an offer of £500m in public money to help keep the furnaces operating, and had demanded more than twice as much with few guarantees it would keep the plant open. | Talks with Jingye last week failed to produce a breakthrough. The government said the company had rejected an offer of £500m in public money to help keep the furnaces operating, and had demanded more than twice as much with few guarantees it would keep the plant open. |
| On Sunday, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it "became clear" to the government that Jingye was intent on closing down the blast furnaces no matter the financial support offered, prompting it to recall Parliament to pass the emergency law wresting control of the site from its owner. | On Sunday, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it "became clear" to the government that Jingye was intent on closing down the blast furnaces no matter the financial support offered, prompting it to recall Parliament to pass the emergency law wresting control of the site from its owner. |
| "It might not be sabotage, it might be neglect," Reynolds said of the company's actions. On Monday, Rayner said there was "no evidence" of so-called sabotage. | |
| The Conservatives have criticised the government for not stepping in sooner to save the plant. | The Conservatives have criticised the government for not stepping in sooner to save the plant. |
| Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said the party had supported the emergency law because "it's the least worst option on the table". | Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said the party had supported the emergency law because "it's the least worst option on the table". |