The UK Government minister, who was responsible for navigating through the steel crisis of 2015-16, is set to play a new role in forging a sustainable future for the industry.

Anna Soubry MP is to join the GREENSTEEL Council, the high-level panel set up earlier this year to support the implementation of low-carbon solutions to the challenges facing steel and other metal production in the UK.

Ms Soubry, who is MP for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire was Business Minister from 2015 to 2016 and spoke frequently in support of the steel sector, describing it as a ‘vital industry’ for the UK.

The former minister, is joining a Council chaired by ex-Welsh Government minister Edwina Hart, with whom she collaborated previously via the special task force set up in Wales to seek ways to protect the threatened Port Talbot steelworks.

Also on the GREENSTEEL Council are Professor Julian Allwood, professor of engineering and the environment at the University of Cambridge, Martin Lawrence, previously managing director at EDF Energy and Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute at Teesside.

Ms Soubry said: “Steel is a foundation industry and is essential for our future as a manufacturing economy. Making this sector competitive and sustainable is one of the most important tasks we face so I am looking forward to being involved in this brave and creative endeavour in pursuit of a low-carbon route towards that goal.”

Sanjeev Gupta, executive chair of the GFG Alliance, which established the council, said: “As a Government Minister Anna has shown herself to be a strong and able champion for the steel industry and we’re very pleased that she has agreed to bring her talent and insight to the council.”