A NEW steel minister, who has vowed to help the embattled industry, has been hailed a breath of fresh air by North-East MPs.

During a Commons debate, Anna Soubry was praised for taking a keen interest in the sector.

MPs said it stood in stark contrast to her predecessor, Matt Hancock, who was accused of failing to turn up to a succession of debates and meetings.

Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Steel, said: “She has demonstrated she is a far better minister with responsibility for steel.

“With her support and advocacy within the chambers of Whitehall, we can get even more positive results.”

The verdict came after Ms Soubry pledged to look at “overly high electricity prices for our industries” and argued companies facing higher business rates for making investments “bizarrely get clobbered for doing the right thing".

She also announced a new national metals strategy, put together with the help of trade associations, will be published in early autumn, and criticised the dumping of some Chinese steel products.

She said: “It is important we discuss the problems and difficulties that face our steel industry.

“I am particularly interested in looking at solutions.

"I want people to come forward with ideas about how we solve the many problems we know our steel industry faces.”

However, ministers did raise fears one key issue, that compensation for steel companies and others hit by domestic carbon taxes, was still being kicked into the long grass.

Following criticism that, of the £250m promised by the Chancellor in 2011, only £31m has been paid out, Ms Soubry said only: “We are having a debate between different departments.”

Mr Blenkinsop added: “That was a specific promise given by the Chancellor.

"We need to see information and evidence about that.”

Mr Blenkinsop was speaking after unions accepted an offer from Tata Steel to make changes to the British Steel Pension Scheme, which will see the programme remain open.

Union members had previously voted to strike over the potential changes, fearing it would force people to work five more years, until 65, to get their full pension.