The United Kingdom's parliament approved on Saturday an emergency law to protect British Steel after passing swiftly both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act allowed the government to cut British Steel's plant in Scunthorpe, which its present parent Jingye Group planned to close. It also included a series of other measures to save the country's steel industry in general, such as instructing material orders and pays for workers.

The houses interrupted their Easter recess to adopt the law.