Should the government further ease steel import tariffs and quotas to protect construction projects?

The government halved tariff-free steel import quotas and doubled duties on excess imports to 50 per cent from 1 July 2026. It later reduced the planned quota cut from 60 per cent to 51 per cent after lobbying by the Construction Leadership Council. The CLC warns the revised measures still risk higher prices, shortages of certain steel products, unviable projects and failure to meet housebuilding and infrastructure targets.