NEWPORT East MP Jessica Morden criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson for failing to mention the plight of Orb steelworkers in an answer to her during a House of Commons exchange today.

During the Prime Minister’s statement on the recent G7 Summit, Ms Morden asked if he had an opportunity whilst there to raise issues in the steel industry.

"I ask this on behalf of the 380 employees at Cogent Orb in Newport who yesterday received the devastating news that Tata are to close their plant," she said.

"It’s tragic for them, and tragic as this is the only plant in the UK to produce electrical steel which with Government encouragement have been part of a supply chain for electric vehicles?”

The Prime Minister replied that ‘a huge amount of work was going on with Tata investments’ and praised current and previous Business Secretaries for work on deals at British Steel, Scunthorpe.

Ms Morden said his response failed to mention Orb steelworkers who are set to lose their jobs, "or the knock-on effect on their families and the wider community in Newport".

“I will be following this up. This country needs a robust industrial strategy with steel at its heart. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be utilising the potential of specialist plants like Orb to supply the materials needed to make the motors of electric cars.”