Tata Steel starts voluntary redundancy process

On Thursday the recently installed Labour Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens held her first meeting as chair of the Tata Steel transition board, set up by the previous Conservative UK government to support people and businesses affected by the plans.

It includes representatives of unions, businesses, the Welsh government and local politicians.

She said she has commissioned a “rapid assessment of how we can offer immediate support”.

“We will work collaboratively with a single focus to support our steel industry and affected communities,” she said.

“But businesses and workers are already feeling the impact of Tata Steel’s transition. The time for talking is over.”

The UK government said that Tata Steel had “re-confirmed its commitment to offer an enhanced redundancy package.”

It added that it had begun asking for expressions of interests from employees which will run to 7 August.