UK takes control of British Steel under emergency powers
The UK government is taking control of Chinese-owned British Steel after emergency legislation was rushed through Parliament in a single day.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told MPs the government’s likely next step would be to nationalise the Scunthorpe plant, which employs 2,700 people.
But he said he was forced to seek emergency powers to prevent owners Jingye shutting down its two blast furnaces, which would have ended primary steel production in the UK.
MPs and peers were called back from their Easter holidays to debate the legislation in an extremely rare Saturday sitting of both houses of Parliament. It has now received Royal Assent after being passed by the Commons and Lords.
The BBC understands UK government officials are at the Scunthorpe site ready to take control of operations.
Source: BBC | Language: English