Government: SSI owners wanted taxpayer help for mothballed Redcar plant
The government has admitted that the operators of a mothballed steel plant in Redcar requested an "open-ended funding commitment" from the taxpayer before it made the decision to shut down the plant last month, resulting in 1,700 job losses.
In a statement today, the government said the Thai Steel Company, which owned the plant, made a "last minute and unrealistic request for the taxpayer to make [a commitment] to maintain the coke ovens in Redcar".
However, it added that it "cannot accept the request".
It added that it will invest £80m in the local area, providing funding for workers to train at local further education colleges, financial assistance for workers who want to start their own business, and cash for local businesses planning to provide more jobs.