LLANELLI MP Nia Griffith has urged the Government to secure a better deal on energy prices for heavy industry to provide an incentive for companies like Tata Steel to invest in Wales. She made the demand as Tata announced it would invest £800million in Wales.
Speaking up from the opposition frontbench at Welsh Questions, Nia said: “I certainly welcome the announcement by the Labour Welsh Government that Tata Steel will invest £800 million in Wales, but as the Secretary of State will know Tata bosses have repeatedly said that the prices they have to pay for energy in the UK are simply not competitive when compared with what industry pays elsewhere. What discussions has she had with the Energy Secretary and energy companies to secure a better deal on energy prices for heavy industry to provide an incentive for companies such as Tata to invest in Wales?”
Nia, who is also secretary of the Parliamentary Steel Group, has previously slammed government plans for a steep Carbon Floor Price which she has dubbed a super tax on industry.“ This is a mad, bad Tory tax, unique to the UK, which will make us uncompetitive even compared to other European countries nevermind countries with very cheap labour costs, and the mitigation measures proposed by the government are too little too late. I want to see a proper industrial policy and better incentives for companies like TATA to invest in the UK.”