Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this House of Lords exchange, Lord Hannan questions Lord Leong of Kingston, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, on the Government's steel tariff policy towards India. Hannan raises concerns about the UK-India trade deal, energy costs, and whether the same tariff logic should apply consistently across all trading partners.
Hannan argues that if the steel tariff quota changes for India are justified by the need to protect British manufacturers and preserve trade relations, the same approach should logically extend to trading partners in the CPTPP, the EU and elsewhere. He suggests the real solution lies in cutting energy costs rather than raising tariffs, and warns against following a more protectionist, "Trumpian" approach to trade. Lord Leong responds by setting out where UK steel imports actually come from, noting the EU, Vietnam, India and South Korea as the principal sources, and confirms the Government's engagement with India and Tata Steel continues.
The Institute of Economic Affairs is a registered educational charity. It does not endorse or give support for any political party in the UK or elsewhere. Our mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.
The views represented here are those of the speakers alone, not those of the Institute, its Managing Trustees, Academic Advisory Council members or senior staff.
In this House of Lords exchange, Lord Hannan questions Lord Leong of Kingston, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, on the Government's steel tariff policy towards India. Hannan raises concerns about the UK-India trade deal, energy costs, and whether the same tariff logic should apply consistently across all trading partners.
Hannan argues that if the steel tariff quota changes for India are justified by the need to protect British manufacturers and preserve trade relations, the same approach should logically extend to trading partners in the CPTPP, the EU and elsewhere. He suggests the real solution lies in cutting energy costs rather than raising tariffs, and warns against following a more protectionist, "Trumpian" approach to trade. Lord Leong responds by setting out where UK steel imports actually come from, noting the EU, Vietnam, India and South Korea as the principal sources, and confirms the Government's engagement with India and Tata Steel continues.
The Institute of Economic Affairs is a registered educational charity. It does not endorse or give support for any political party in the UK or elsewhere. Our mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems.
The views represented here are those of the speakers alone, not those of the Institute, its Managing Trustees, Academic Advisory Council members or senior staff.
