Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of exclusion from the EU's Made in Europe programme on the UK's (a) steel and (b) energy sector.
Answer
My department is looking closely at the EU’s Made in Europe measures across a range of legislative proposals and is engaging with industry leaders and the EU institutions. We will continue to assess the potential economic impacts for the UK as the EU’s Made in Europe programme develops, including in sectors such as steel and energy. The UK-EU Leaders’ summit, on 20th November, will provide an opportunity to raise wider issues of mutual interest, including Made in Europe.
Verdict: AMBER (30/100)
The reply names both the steel and energy sectors and describes ongoing work, including reviewing the measures, engaging with industry and EU institutions, and assessing economic impacts. However, it offers no view on how excluding the UK from the scheme would affect either sector, so both parts of the question are only partly answered. The response is mostly hedged, and the person who asked would likely need to follow up to get a specific answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the Department's assessment or view of the potential impact of exclusion from the EU's Made in Europe programme on the UK steel sector? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply names steel explicitly and describes ongoing work (reviewing the Made in Europe measures, engaging industry and EU institutions, assessing economic impacts including steel), which is a real description of the Department's position. However, it gives no view on the likely impact of exclusion on the steel sector, so the substantive question is only gestured at. |
| What is the Department's assessment or view of the potential impact of exclusion from the EU's Made in Europe programme on the UK energy sector? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | Statement 3 explicitly names the energy sector and says impacts will continue to be assessed, alongside the general engagement and summit statements. As with steel, no view is offered on the impact of exclusion on energy, so the answer stays at the level of ongoing assessment. |