STEEL INDUSTRY

That this House welcomes the continuing strong output and productivity performance of the United Kingdom steel industry highlighted in the recent Centre for Economics and Business Research report on the industry; urges the industry to support pro-manufacturing policy including public and private investment in training and the New Deal welfare-to-work programme; calls for continued close partnership between the steel employers and unions representing their workforce to ensure that employees as well as executives enjoy the fruits of the impressive increases in productivity; notes the industry's concern about the increase of the ú sterling against the Deutschmark, 70 per cent of which took place under the previous Government; and urges continuing close contact between Ministers, the industry and its social partners to ensure the maintenance of a strong steel industry in the United Kingdom.