Rates relief in bid to rescue idle steel plants

THE Scottish Government is to cut business rates at Tata Steel’s two mothballed plants in a bid to attract a new operator.

Ministers announced they would legislate for one year’s relief on rates, starting in April, for the Clydebridge and Dalzell plants.

This will be available to any new operator that comes in, provided they continue to use the sites for steel production.

The move was announced after the latest meeting of the Scottish steel taskforce, which was chaired by Business Minister Fergus Ewing.

He described the cut in rates as ‘a powerful signal of the value we place on securing an alternative operator for the two sites and helping them to cut costs’.

Efforts are continuing to secure a new commercial operator, with the firms Liberty House and Greybull Capital having emerged as potential buyers after Tata announced in October last year that 1,200 job were to go across the UK.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon established the steel taskforce in an effort to keep the Clydebridge plant in Cambuslang, and Dalzell plant in Motherwell, open.

Mr Ewing said: ‘The Scottish Government is acting to support the Scottish steel industry and is making every effort to attract potential buyers for the two plants.’