Govt 'can keep steel blast furnaces going'

THE Government is “confident” it will secure the supply of materials needed to keep the blast furnaces burning at British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, Downing Street has said.

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No 10 insisted the plant would remain in use, as staff at the company and civil servants work to prevent the permanent shutdown of Britain’s last steel-making plant.

Officials are racing to ensure there are enough new materials – such as coking coal and iron ore – to keep the North Lincolnshire site running, after ministers passed an emergency law at the weekend to take control of the plant from Chinese owner Jingye.