Campaigners tonight urged Boris Johnson to help the steel industry slash emissions after he admitted current help was not enough.
The Prime Minister fuelled hopes more cash could be found to support the sector as it battles to cut pollution and switch to more environmentally-friendly production.
He told the Commons the industry “is of strategic importance for our country and we have got to look at ways in which we can help the steel industry to have access to cheaper, low-carbon energy, and this Government will do everything we can to ensure that happens”.
He told MPs ministers had “provided over £600million since 2013 to help with the cost of energy”, along with “a £350m industrial energy transformation fund”.
But he admitted: “That alone will not be enough as we transition to a low-carbon future. I think hydrocarbons must also have their place.”
Mr Johnson’s intervention boosted demands for Whitehall support as the sector grapples with sky-high electricity prices and helping the UK meet its net-zero target.
Britain’s steel sector belched out about 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - including indirect emissions from power production - in 2019.
It accounted for 11.5% of UK industrial emissions and 2.7% of all Britain’s greenhouse gases.
Company bosses have long acknowledged the need to make steel manufacturing less polluting.
UK Steel director-general Gareth Stace said: “We hugely welcome the PM’s recognition that further action is now required to support this vital sector, provide a competitive landscape for it to operate in, and underpin its transition to net-zero.
“It is essential that this additional support is rolled out quickly.”
Community steelworkers’ union operations director Alasdair McDiarmid said: “We completely agree with Boris Johnson that steel is strategically important to our economy and our nation.
“We hope his warm words translate into concrete actions, because right now our steel industry is struggling.
“All steelworkers ask is the chance to compete on a level playing field with EU steel producers.
“We know our industry can have a bright future at the core of a low carbon economy, we just need the government to support us."
Labour blasted the Tories’ “woefully inadequate” record on steel.
Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “They have failed to secure the prosperous future this great British industry could have and are putting our steel industry at risk through sky-high energy costs, rising inflation and tax rises.
“Labour would help the steel sector now through our £600million fund to help energy intensive industries and invest £3billion in the next decade to green our steel industry to ensure British steel's best days lie ahead.”
The Mirror has been campaigning to Save Our Steel since 2015.
