The Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board’s statement.

The Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board met on December 19, 2024, with the Secretary of State for Wales and Chair of the Board, Jo Stevens, seeking approval to double the funding for the Employment and Skills and Supply Chain Transition Funds to £30m. The meeting also discussed the Supply Chain Transition Fund, which has seen significant demand, with almost 40 businesses employing 2,000 people starting the application process. The funding will provide support to businesses and individuals affected by Tata Steel’s plan to build an electric arc furnace at its Port Talbot site, which will require a reduced workforce. The Board also approved widening the eligibility criteria for the Supply Chain Fund and increasing the maximum grant sizes. Other updates included Tata Steel’s decarbonization program, the Department of Business and Trade’s steel strategy, community union support, mental health services, and a communications plan for the Transition Board’s funding. Those in attendance included representatives from the Welsh Government, local councils, Tata Steel, and the Community Union.