Ashok today (1st July) appealed to the Government to support the future of steelmaking on Teesside by buying local steel for large infrustructure projects such as the Olympics and school building. Ashok has written, and will continue to lobby ministers across numerous Government departments to support our vital regional industry.

Ashok said "The state is, at the end of the day, the biggest influence in UK infrustructure, and if all proposals in the Building Britain's Future programme are to come to fruition, there will be huge demand for steel as the building blocks for such things as power plants, bio-process plants, high speed rail lines and integrated flood defence systems for towns and cities."

"Teesside's steel industry will benefit greatly from this approach, but only if such orders are made now to stop the plant from being mothballed and this is why we are making this statement to ministers."

Ashok continues to campaign tirelessly to secure jobs for his constituents, as underlined by his question to the Prime minister last week on this very issue.

Ashok said "I share the concerns and worries of steel workers at this time. As a former employee of British Steel on Teesside, I understand the importance of steel in this community. I promise that I will continue to work hard to secure a future for this vital industry on Teesside."