New laws provides Government energy to convey British Steel into public possession

• Government to introduce laws which might give it the choice to nationalise British Steel, topic to public curiosity check being met.
• Primary laws would give Government a path to safeguard UK steelmaking capability and keep away from sudden halt of manufacturing at Scunthorpe, whereas it considers choices for British Steel to assist ship on authorities’s Steel Strategy ambitions.
• Move strengthens financial resilience and backs Government’s lengthy‑time period ambition for a resilient, trendy UK metal sector.

British Steel might be again in Government arms for the primary time since being bought off in 1988, because of powers that will likely be included in new laws to be set out within the Kings Speech on Wednesday.

The new powers can be topic to public curiosity assessments, and if used to nationalise British Steel, they’d increase nationwide safety whereas giving stability to staff at Scunthorpe, and British Steel’s suppliers and prospects.

The Prime Minister introduced the brand new laws in a speech at the moment (Monday 11 May) the place he set out his plan to spice up our sovereign capabilities, defend British trade, and prioritise British jobs and industrial communities.

The Government intervened at British Steel in April 2025 underneath the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act to make sure uninterrupted metal manufacturing and to keep away from the sudden closure of the blast furnaces, which might have disrupted provide chains and risked 1000’s of jobs. 

Since then, the Government has been in discussions with British Steel’s proprietor to discover a pragmatic and sensible answer for the enterprise on acceptable phrases.

It has not been potential to agree a business sale with the present proprietor, and authorities doesn’t imagine an settlement might be reached which might ship acceptable worth for cash for taxpayers.

The Government believes introducing laws to offer a path to public possession is the suitable subsequent step, whereas recognising that any determination to make use of the powers within the Bill can be topic to the Bill’s public curiosity check being met. 

The public curiosity check considers components together with nationwide safety, sustaining crucial nationwide infrastructure and supporting the financial system. 

The announcement at the moment follows the launch of the Government’s landmark Steel Strategy in March, which set out its lengthy‑time period plan to revitalise the UK metal sector and bolster financial resilience by assembly as much as 50 p.c of UK metal demand domestically.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated:

Steel is strategically vital to our financial system and our nationwide resilience. That’s why we acted final yr to keep away from a sudden halt to manufacturing at Scunthorpe, defending staff and the neighborhood that rely upon the location, and why we’re now bringing ahead laws to provide us choices to guard Britain’s steelmaking functionality.

This is what an activist state seems like – taking choices within the nationwide curiosity. This Bill would enable us to take motion if we have to, whereas we proceed rebuilding our metal sector.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle stated:

Strong home metal manufacturing is important for our financial system, and this laws would enable us to make sure stability for British Steel’s staff, suppliers and prospects and keep away from damaging disruption to essential provide chains, whereas we take into account choices for the location’s future.

Revitalising our metal sector is a prime precedence for this authorities, and bringing ahead this laws would enable us to discover potential future choices for British Steel. The authorities recognises that securing the long-term way forward for the UK’s metal sector depends on each private and non-private funding for modernisation.

Following the Government’s intervention in April 2025, British Steel has continued working on the Scunthorpe website, defending steelmaking capability and supporting jobs throughout the native financial system and provide chain, offering reassurance and stability for the city and its workforce.

The new Bill will likely be formally launched to Parliament this week. Any determination to convey British Steel into public possession would solely be taken after the Bill receives Royal Assent, and if the general public curiosity check set out within the laws is met.