Statement – Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill

Steel union Community has welcomed the passing of the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill through its second reading stage in the House of Commons.

The Bill, if it becomes law, will give the Labour Government new powers to intervene in the steel industry, including the acquisition of a steel undertaking – subject to a public interest test.

It would also allow for speedy intervention in British Steel, the operator of the UK’s two remaining blast furnaces, which were almost shut down until the Government intervened through emergency legislation in April 2025.

Community Assistant General Secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said:

“Community is delighted that the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill has passed the second reading stage in the House of Commons. The importance of this legislation cannot be overstated.

“This Bill will allow the Government to take full control of British Steel, following the intervention last year, and secure the future of the site, safeguarding the strategically important blast furnaces and protecting jobs. It will also enable intervention in other parts of the industry where it is in the public interest to do so, ensuring crises can be averted and giving workers greater certainty that the Government has their backs.

“We welcome the UK Labour Government’s ongoing show of support for the steel industry and emphasise that the Bill should be used to meet the objectives of its UK Steel Strategy.”