The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, the Bishop of Lincoln, has spoken in the House of Lords during the emergency debate on the future of the steel industry and the Scunthorpe steelworks.
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch moves that this Houses takes note of His Majesty’s Government’s legislative proposals to ensure the continued operation of the British steel industry, in light of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Bill
My Lords, I welcome the attention that the Government has paid to this matter and in recognising the gravity of the situation we face. At a time of tariffs, threats to jobs and wider economic uncertainty, it is vital to safeguard the steel industry while transitioning towards a greener future. Indeed, British Steel is the symbol of an industry which is vitally important to the wellbeing and identity of Scunthorpe, a place I am proud to serve as Bishop. That is before we consider its importance to our national infrastructure, recognising the need for connectivity through our railways in order to see one another, stimulate our economy, and reduce regional disparities. Protecting these jobs and the vital work done through them required action that has not appeared to be forthcoming from private investment. I wish the Government well in its endeavours, which are not without cost.
We are learning something about the state of our economy a quarter of the way through this century. When we have some distance from the immediate challenge we face today, I urge this House to engage in a broader conversation about economic trends and our role in shaping them as well as responding to them. Earlier this week, it was announced that a former brickworks will become a theme park which could create 28,000 jobs and attract 8.5 million visitors per year. I raise this not to pass judgement on that particular investment [indeed, who among us could be upset by the prospect of a theme park featuring James Bond and Paddington Bear on one site?] but to note what it says about our economy, which year by year seems driven more and more by the delivery of goods and services, especially through entertainment. While our economy is changing before our eyes, the need for a secure manufacturing base is essential, all the more so given global pressures and the attendant disruption to our economic and political norms.
Let me conclude by turning away from global headwinds and back towards the communities I live among in Greater Lincolnshire. Naturally, my prayers are with the many people who will feel uncertainty and anxiety about the present and the future, who require a response that is pastoral as well as practical. In our churches, we will seek to respond in love and share the hope we hold onto, doing so now as we approach the disconsolation of Good Friday and the joy of resurrection on Easter Day.
In response to this issue, I encourage the Government to remember the pastoral issues alongside the practical measures it is outlining today. The two are linked, and getting this right will require the Government to engage with local partners on the ground, including the Combined Authority and the voluntary and community sector, to ensure we are able to respond together to the impact of what is happening to a resilient but fragile community.
Saturday 12th April 2025
Many people are unaware of the vast scale and variety of chaplaincy services currently offered for our mental and spiritual wellbeing in Greater Lincolnshire. The Festival of Chaplaincy in March spread the word of their vital work.
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Read the storyAn Easter message for 2025 by the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway.
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