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An emergency bill to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe blast furnaces has become law.
The urgent legislation gives ministers the power to instruct British Steel to keep the plant open.
The bill was rushed through the House of Commons and House of Lords in one day, with MPs and peers being recalled from recess to take part in a Saturday sitting for the first time in over 40 years.
Emergency bill becomes law – follow the latest reaction here
After passing through both houses of parliament, the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill was granted royal assent by the King.
The bill gives the government the power to take control of British Steel – or any other steel asset – “using force if necessary”, order materials for steelmaking and instruct that workers be paid. It also authorises a jail sentence of up to two years for anyone breaching this law.
It will mean the steel plant in Scunthorpe will continue to operate as the government decides on a long-term strategy, and steelmaking in the UK more broadly.
Ministers took the unusual step of recalling parliament from its recess to sit on Saturday after negotiations with British Steel’s Chinese owners, Jingye, appeared to break down.
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