logo
Minister insists fuel supplies not under threat despite oil refinery closure

Minister insists fuel supplies not under threat despite oil refinery closure

An energy minister has insisted fuel supplies will not be under threat after no buyer was found for one of Britain's largest oil refineries.
State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – collapsed into administration last month, putting hundreds of jobs at risk.
Michael Shanks pledged to support the workers who are facing redundancy, but said there is little action the Government can take to improve the statutory redundancy offer.
Speaking in the Commons, he said: 'We have worked urgently to ensure the safety of the refinery site, the security of fuel supplies and to protect workers.
'This has also allowed time for bidders to express an interest in the site.
'Following a thorough process, the official receiver has rigorously assessed all the bids received and concluded that sale of the business as a whole is not a credible option.'
He added: 'A package has been offered to all those directly employed at the refinery, which guarantees their jobs and pay over the coming months.
'And alongside the usual support that is offered to workforces in insolvency situations, the Government will also immediately fund a comprehensive training guarantee for those refinery workers to ensure they have the skills needed and the support to find jobs, for example, in the growing clean energy workforce.'
The Lindsey site is one of only five large oil refineries remaining in the UK after the recent closure of the Grangemouth plant in Scotland.
Prax Group is led by majority owner and chairman and chief executive Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, who bought the Lindsey oil refinery from French firm Total in 2021.
Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie, who tabled the urgent question, claimed 625 jobs are at risk as he pressed the minister for an update on its investigation into the collapse of the company.
He also asked: 'What, if any, assessment has been made into the UK's resilience given the steep reduction in our refining capacity over the past six months?
'What, if any, assessment has been made on the increased reliance on imports that will be necessary as a result of the reduction in British refining capacity?'
Mr Shanks said fuel supplies had 'adjusted' in the past few weeks, adding: 'Our assessment suggests there isn't an immediate risk to fuel supplies locally or in the wider area, but we'll continue to monitor that.'
On the investigation, he said: 'There is not much I can update the House on at the moment, because the insolvency service is carrying out that investigation.'
Conservative MP Martin Vickers, whose Brigg and Immingham constituency includes the oil refinery, said he wanted to see 'the maximum support given to those workers'.
Mr Shanks replied: 'We have looked and pushed and pushed to see if there is more action Government can take to change or to give any additional payments.
'It's not possible for Government to do that, not least because the insolvency service has to follow very specific rules in terms of creditors and what their parameters are to operate in the event of an insolvency.
'But I do think the owners of this company have profited from this business, and they should do the right thing by the workforce that delivered that for them.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Huge car brand returning to the UK selling all EV line-up only available in four countries
Huge car brand returning to the UK selling all EV line-up only available in four countries

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Huge car brand returning to the UK selling all EV line-up only available in four countries

The legendary manufacturer's return to Great Britain signals the accelerating evolution of the automotive industry, with petrol-guzzling muscle cars making way for emission-free automobiles An iconic name in the automotive world is making a clean break from its past and gearing up for a major return to the UK market following an eight-year absence. ‌ American luxury brand Cadillac, which has long been associated with big V8s and bold design, will be offering a lineup of fully electric vehicles when it relaunches on British soil. ‌ Cadillac's return is a bold move by General Motors (GM), which established its European headquarters in Zurich back in 2021 as part of a renewed continental push. The first UK-bound model will be the Cadillac Lyriq, a premium all-electric SUV retailing at around £68,000, that has so far only been available in Switzerland, France, Sweden and Germany. It comes after UK drivers were warned over 'avoiding' road instead of having to follow new rule. ‌ According to CEO of GM Europe, Pere Brugal, the brand will focus solely on electric vehicles, with the UK being one of its key markets going forward. He told Autocar: "It is one of the [markets] that we're focusing on right now." While the UK release date hasn't yet been revealed, the CEO did confirm the Lyric will be available soon after final testing is completed in Ireland, and that Cadillac is aiming to launch in the UK with at least two models. But Mr Brugal declined to confirm which ones will be joining the Lyriq, saying: "We want to make sure we launch not only with one model portfolio. We want to make sure we launch with at least a two-model portfolio." ‌ The specifications of the Lyriq are impressive — the entry-level version offers a range of around 330 miles and generates 520bhp. Those wanting an extra boost can choose the performance-focused top-tier model, which increases power to 606bhp. However, as Mr Brugal pointed out, launching in the UK is not just about shipping cars across the Atlantic. The ability to import Cadillac's growing portfolio will depend heavily on the alignment of emission regulations and safety standards between the US and Europe. ‌ "If the regulations between the US and Europe harmonise, it will make our life easier," he explained. "We will bring a lot of benefit to the final customer, because that will increase the range of options.' He also noted the possibility of designing a bespoke GM model specifically for European tastes. Unlike previous Cadillac ventures in the UK, the relaunch will eschew traditional dealership networks. Instead, the all-electric models will be sold using an online-based model, supported by pop-up 'experience' centres inviting customers to see, drive and configure their cars. This strategic attempt to modernise the buying experience mirrors the approach used by other EV manufacturers such as Polestar. As the Lyriq prepares to hit UK roads, Cadillac's all-electric resurgence signals not just the return of an iconic brand, but also the accelerating evolution of the automotive industry, with tradition giving way to innovation and petrol-guzzling muscle cars making way for emission-free automobiles.

Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence
Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence

South Wales Argus

time3 hours ago

  • South Wales Argus

Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence

Ministers are seeking to create a new offence that would also outlaw the promise of illegal working being promoted online and could carry a large fine. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also said she plans to introduce a fast-track scheme to tackle the asylum backlog, with the aim to turn around decisions within weeks. The Government is under pressure to speed up asylum processing and bring down small boat crossings, with arrivals passing more than 25,000 for 2025 so far on Wednesday – a record for this point in the year. Assisting illegal immigration to the UK is already a crime, but officials believe a new offence will give more powers to police and other agencies to disrupt criminal gangs. Around 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat told officials they used social media during their journey, including to contact agents linked to people smuggling gangs, according to analysis by the Home Office. 'Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral,' the Home Secretary said. 'These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media. We are determined to do everything we can to stop them, wherever they operate.' She told The Sunday Times that Labour was planning a 'major overhaul' of the asylum appeal process in the hope it would help to make a significant dent in the numbers. 'We need a major overhaul of the appeal [process] and that's what we are going to do in the autumn… If we speed up the decision-making appeal system and also then keep increasing returns, we hope to be able to make quite a big reduction in the overall numbers in the asylum system, because that is the best way to actually restore order and control,' Ms Cooper said. The aim would be to compress the process so decisions and returns could happen 'within weeks', the newspaper reported, citing a source familiar with the plans. Ms Cooper had previously said she wanted to put a 'fast-track' system for decisions and appeals in place so that people from countries considered safe would not sit in the asylum system for a long time. 'That would mean a fast-track system alongside the main asylum system, I think that would be really important in terms of making sure that the system is fair,' she told the Home Affairs committee in June. 'That will require legislation in order to be able to do that, as well as a new system design.' The plans to tackle the online promotion of Channel crossings would see a new offence created under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament. The National Crime Agency (NCA) already works with social media companies to remove posts promoting crossings, with more than 8,000 taken offline in 2024. But the proposed new offence will give them more options of how to target gangs and their business models, NCA director general of operations Rob Jones said. The case of a Preston-based smuggler jailed for 17 years for posting videos of migrants thanking him for his help could have been targeted under the proposed offence. Albanian smugglers who used social media to promote £12,000 'package deals' for accommodation and a job in the UK on arrival would also be in scope. The Conservatives said it was 'too little, too late' and that only their proposal to automatically deport people who enter Britain via unauthorised routes can tackle small boat crossings. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour still has no clear plan to deter illegal entry, no effective enforcement and no strategy to speed up removals. This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing. 'The only clear and enforceable plan is the Conservative Deportation Bill, a no-nonsense strategy that allows us to detain illegal arrivals immediately and remove them without delay. The British public deserve focused action, not more of Labour's dithering.'

Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence
Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence

Leader Live

time3 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Social media ads for Channel crossings to be banned under new offence

Ministers are seeking to create a new offence that would also outlaw the promise of illegal working being promoted online and could carry a large fine. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also said she plans to introduce a fast-track scheme to tackle the asylum backlog, with the aim to turn around decisions within weeks. The Government is under pressure to speed up asylum processing and bring down small boat crossings, with arrivals passing more than 25,000 for 2025 so far on Wednesday – a record for this point in the year. Assisting illegal immigration to the UK is already a crime, but officials believe a new offence will give more powers to police and other agencies to disrupt criminal gangs. Around 80% of migrants arriving to the UK by small boat told officials they used social media during their journey, including to contact agents linked to people smuggling gangs, according to analysis by the Home Office. 'Selling the false promise of a safe journey to the UK and a life in this country – whether on or offline – simply to make money, is nothing short of immoral,' the Home Secretary said. 'These criminals have no issue with leading migrants to life-threatening situations using brazen tactics on social media. We are determined to do everything we can to stop them, wherever they operate.' She told The Sunday Times that Labour was planning a 'major overhaul' of the asylum appeal process in the hope it would help to make a significant dent in the numbers. 'We need a major overhaul of the appeal [process] and that's what we are going to do in the autumn… If we speed up the decision-making appeal system and also then keep increasing returns, we hope to be able to make quite a big reduction in the overall numbers in the asylum system, because that is the best way to actually restore order and control,' Ms Cooper said. The aim would be to compress the process so decisions and returns could happen 'within weeks', the newspaper reported, citing a source familiar with the plans. Ms Cooper had previously said she wanted to put a 'fast-track' system for decisions and appeals in place so that people from countries considered safe would not sit in the asylum system for a long time. 'That would mean a fast-track system alongside the main asylum system, I think that would be really important in terms of making sure that the system is fair,' she told the Home Affairs committee in June. 'That will require legislation in order to be able to do that, as well as a new system design.' The plans to tackle the online promotion of Channel crossings would see a new offence created under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill already going through Parliament. The National Crime Agency (NCA) already works with social media companies to remove posts promoting crossings, with more than 8,000 taken offline in 2024. But the proposed new offence will give them more options of how to target gangs and their business models, NCA director general of operations Rob Jones said. The case of a Preston-based smuggler jailed for 17 years for posting videos of migrants thanking him for his help could have been targeted under the proposed offence. Albanian smugglers who used social media to promote £12,000 'package deals' for accommodation and a job in the UK on arrival would also be in scope. The Conservatives said it was 'too little, too late' and that only their proposal to automatically deport people who enter Britain via unauthorised routes can tackle small boat crossings. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour still has no clear plan to deter illegal entry, no effective enforcement and no strategy to speed up removals. This is a panicked attempt to look tough after months of doing nothing. 'The only clear and enforceable plan is the Conservative Deportation Bill, a no-nonsense strategy that allows us to detain illegal arrivals immediately and remove them without delay. The British public deserve focused action, not more of Labour's dithering.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store