Tag: Welsh Office

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 17 October 2025.

The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 16th October 2025.

The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, in her role as Chair of the Transition Board sought endorsement of the revised structure and updated terms of reference for the Transition Board, following the full allocation of the UK Government’s £80 million support package. With this milestone reached, the Board agreed to refocus its efforts on tracking delivery of the funding and ensuring that support continues to be effectively directed to the region. In addition, the Board will explore potential future opportunities, such as Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW), the Celtic Freeport and the National Wealth Fund, to support the longer-term regeneration of the affected area.

The Board also welcomed Levi Roberts owner of Flame & Bake Pizzas, a recipient of Transition Board funding who talked to Board members about his experience in setting up his own business. The Secretary of State for Wales then visited South Wales Water in Port Talbot, who also received Transition Board funding and have employed former Tata Steel workers.

The Board also received updates on:

• Plans for the new £11.8 million Economic Growth & Investment Fund – jointly funded by UK Government and Tata Steel UK;
• Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
• The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy; and
• The uptake of the existing Transition Board funds.

The Board also discussed the planned pauses of production at three Tata Steel sites in Wales over Christmas, and how best to minimise the impact on the affected workers.

Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Chris McDonald MP, Minister for Industry for DESNZ and DBT; Cllr Steven Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Chris Jaques, Chief HR Officer, Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS & Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Anne Jessopp CBE, Sarah Williams-Gardener & Katherine Bennett CBE, independent members of the Board; Mark Shervington, Regional Officer, Community Union; Tom Hoyles, Politics, Press and Research Officer, GMB Wales & Jason Bartlett Regional Officer of Unite the Union Wales.  

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 23 July 2025.

This visit comes as Aston Martin resume exports to the US, protecting 600 jobs in St Athan.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens is this week (22-25 July) travelling to the United States and Canada on a mission to boost trade and investment in Wales. The two countries are among the most significant markets for Welsh exports, with goods and services worth over £2 billion destined for the US and Canada each year.

Trade and investment between Wales and North America supports over 50,000 Welsh jobs. With the significant economic links between the countries, the US and Canada provides Welsh businesses with great opportunities to grow and prosper. The visit follows the signing of the UK’s economic prosperity deal with the US in May, protecting businesses and securing jobs across the country, and boosting key sectors in Wales like steel, aerospace, car making and life sciences.

Car manufacturer Aston Martin, which has a base in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan employing at least 600 people, resumed exports to the United States following the successful trade deal. The Welsh Secretary will visit the new Aston Martin showroom in New York City and meet executives.

Jo Stevens’ visit to North America comes after the UK Government’s publication of its Industrial Strategy and aims to highlight Wales as a key destination for inward investment into the UK.

During the visit the Welsh Secretary will raise awareness of this December’s Investment Summit in Wales, encouraging North American business leaders and investors to participate in the event.

Driving investment into Wales is the Welsh Secretary’s primary goal, with high profile business facing events and roundtable meetings with industry leaders and investors in Toronto and New York.

Her programme includes:

• Hosting a reception for business at Aston Martin’s new showroom in New York City
• Meeting key Canadian businesses with an interest in Wales – including from manufacturing and other sectors – at a roundtable meeting in Toronto.
• A business breakfast with investors in sport real estate in the UK in New York.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

There are strong and important economic and cultural ties between Wales and North America and it is fantastic to be able to promote these and help strengthen them further.

The UK Government has made economic growth our key mission and our new trade deal with the United States delivers fantastic benefits for our key businesses like Aston Martin and for working people across Wales.

I want to build on this progress and while I am in the USA and Canada I will be discussing further opportunities for investment in Wales with companies like Aston Martin.

My message is very clear – Wales is open for business.

Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America, Alan Gogbashian said:

From sports economy firms to the automotive industry, Wales plays a key role in the UK economy, and has strong trade and investment ties with Canada and the United States.

It’s fantastic to host the Secretary of State for Wales in New York and Toronto this week to engage with current transatlantic businesses including Aston Martin, and to connect with potential investors ahead of the Investment Summit in Wales later this year.

The Welsh Secretary’s itinerary also includes a reception in Toronto with business and cultural groups with interests in Wales and meetings with individual investors in Wales like Vale Mining.

The Welsh Secretary travels to Toronto on Tuesday, 22 July and then onto New York City before returning to the UK on 25 July.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 23 June 2025.

Modern Industrial Strategy will make the UK the best country to invest in and grow a business and support tens of thousands of new jobs in Wales.

• Electricity costs for thousands of businesses to be slashed by up to 25%
• UK Government to establish a centre for doctoral training in semiconductors, led by Swansea University
• Welsh businesses to benefit from innovation funding, access to finance, faster grid connections and better-equipped sites for expansion.

Wales is set for increased economic growth, billions in investment and tens of thousands of new jobs supported over the next decade as a result of the UK Government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which is published today (Monday 23 June).

The Strategy contains measures to forge a new relationship between business and government, making Wales and the UK the best place to start and scale up a business.

It will unlock growth across Wales, targeting areas of strength from the country’s strengths in aerospace in North Wales to the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster in South Wales.

More than 7,000 UK businesses are set to see their electricity bills slashed by up to 25%. British manufacturers currently pay some of the highest electricity prices in the developed world— in some cases, double the European average, while businesses looking to expand or modernise have faced delays when it comes to connecting to the grid.

For too long these challenges have held back growth and made it harder for firms to compete globally. Today’s announcement marks a decisive shift — with government stepping in to support industry and unlock the UK’s economic potential.

From 2027, the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 electricity-intensive businesses in manufacturing sectors like automotive, aerospace and chemicals.

These firms, which support over 300,000 skilled jobs across the UK will be exempt from paying levies such as the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market — helping level the playing field and make them more internationally competitive. Eligibility and further details on the exemptions will be determined following consultation, which will be launched shortly.

The UK Government is also increasing support for the most energy-intensive firms — like steel, chemicals, and glass — by covering more of the electricity network charges they normally have to pay through the British Industry Supercharger. These businesses currently get a 60% discount on those charges, but from 2026, that will increase to 90%. This means their electricity bills will go down, helping them stay competitive, protect jobs, and invest in the future.

These reforms complement the government’s long-term mission for clean power, which is the only way to bring down bills for good by ending the UK’s dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets.

The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to promote business investment and growth and make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK, giving businesses the confidence to invest and create 1.1 million good, well-paid jobs in thriving industries – delivering on this government’s Plan for Change.

Wales is already punching above its weight in many of the growth driving sectors set out in the Industrial Strategy.

The key measures for Wales are:

• More than £4bn for the advanced manufacturing sector in the UK over the next 5 years. Wales has a leading advanced manufacturing sector with companies such as Airbus based in Broughton in north Wales.
• UK Government to establish a centre for doctoral training in semiconductors, led by Swansea University, building on the world-leading cluster based in south Wales.
• A Defence Growth Deal cluster to build on Wales’s major strengths. The top five Ministry of Defence suppliers all have a footprint in Wales.
• A new British Business Bank champion for the Cardiff Capital Region to connect investors with businesses and kickstart growth.
• £30m for a Local Innovation Partnerships Fund in Wales to work with the Welsh Government and Innovate UK to grow innovation.
• The National Wealth Fund working with the Development Bank of Wales to identify and secure financing for investment projects in Wales.
• Support for the UK’s city regions and clusters by increasing the supply of investible sites through a new £600m Strategic Sites Accelerator, enhanced regional support from the Office for Investment, National Wealth Fund, and British Business Bank, and more.
• Strengthened support from the Office for Investment to help identify, shape and deliver strategic investment opportunities across the UK.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This Industrial Strategy marks a turning point for Britain’s economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past.

In an era of global economic instability, it delivers the long term certainty and direction British businesses need to invest, innovate and create good jobs that put more money in people’s pockets as part of the plan for change.

This is how we power Britain’s future – by backing the sectors where we lead, removing the barriers that hold us back, and setting out a clear path to build a stronger economy that works for working people. Our message is clear – Britain is back and open for business.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

Wales has huge potential and our government’s Industrial Strategy will harness the strengths of our businesses and workforce to drive growth and create jobs.

The strategy will support key sectors like aerospace and compound semiconductors while developing industries of the future like floating offshore wind where Wales is well-placed to be a world leader.

Our modern Industrial Strategy is built to last and make Wales one of the best places to invest and do business. Working alongside Welsh Government we will boost growth, raise wages and create wealth across our country.”

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

We’ve said from day one Britain is back in business under this government, and the £100 billion of investment we’ve secured in the past year shows our Plan for Change is already delivering for working people.

Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, delivering economic growth that puts more money in people’s pockets and pays for our NHS, schools and military.

Not only does this Strategy prioritise investment to attract billions for new business sites, cutting-edge research, and better transport links, it will also make our industrial energy prices globally competitive.

Tackling energy costs and fixing skills has been the single biggest ask of us from businesses and the greatest challenge they’ve faced – this government has listened, and now we’re taking the bold action needed. Government and business working hand in hand to make working people better of is what this Government promised and what we will deliver.”

Sarah Williams-Gardener, Chair of Fintech Wales, said:

We are delighted to see financial services recognised as a key sector in this Industrial Strategy. We look forward to working closely with the Government to help unlock the sector’s full potential.

The emphasis on AI and the compute power required to support its development is particularly welcome, as we begin to see generative AI driving innovation across financial services—empowering both providers and customers through the next generation of digital banking platforms.

Frank Holmes, Founding Partner of Gambit Corporate Finance and Chair of the Cardiff Capital Region Investment Board, said:

Today’s announcements mark a timely and important shift towards a connected, strategic approach to economic growth. The renewed focus on industrial strategy and SME finance speaks directly to the opportunities we are unlocking in the Cardiff Capital Region. We have backed innovative and scalable businesses like Whisper TV, showcasing how tailored regional finance can drive job creation, innovation and global reach.

The UK’s commitment to extending SME access to finance aligns perfectly with the ecosystem we are building  in CCR as a proven delivery partner and a model for regional economic development.”

Louise Harris, CEO of Tramshed Tech in Cardiff, said:

The launch of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy is a pivotal moment for our tech and innovation ecosystem. By aligning local strengths with national ambition, this strategy provides a powerful platform for Welsh businesses to grow, attract investment and lead in emerging sectors such as technology, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries.

This strategy recognises that innovation isn’t just about technology in isolation – it’s about creating sustainable, high-quality jobs while tackling real-world challenges. This approach will create the perfect environment for startups and scale-ups to thrive, knowing they have both the infrastructure, skills and strategic support to take their innovations from Wales to the world.”

The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to promote business investment and growth and make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK, giving businesses the confidence to invest and create good, well-paid jobs in thriving industries – delivering on this government’s Plan for Change.

Investment from private companies is essential to creating new jobs, growing the economy and securing public services. That is why the Strategy will also introduce measures to make it quicker, easier and more profitable for businesses to invest in the UK, with the aim of significantly increasing businesses investment and in key growth sectors by 2035 and helping to create 1.1 million well paid jobs across all corners of the UK.

It will realise Wales’ economic potential and raise wages and living standards to a level that the people of Wales deserve.

The UK Government’s plans address the main barriers to growth, making it easier and quicker to do business and invest in Wales.

The Strategy’s bold plan of action includes:

• Slashing electricity costs by 20-25% to level the playing field for energy-hungry industries like chemicals and key growth sectors like automotive.
• Unlocking billions in finance for innovative business, especially for SMEs by increasing British Business Bank capacity to £25.6 billion, crowding in tens of billions of pounds more in private capital.
• Reducing regulatory burdens by cutting the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% and reduce the number of regulators.
• Boosting R&D spending to £22.6bn per year by 2029-30 to drive innovation across the IS-8, with more than £2bn for AI over the Spending Review, and £2.8bn for advanced manufacturing over the next ten years. This will leverage in billions more from private investors. Regulatory changes will further clear the path for fast-growing industries and innovative products such as biotechnology, AI, and autonomous vehicles.
• Attracting elite global talent to our key sectors, via visa and migrations reforms and a new the Global Talent Taskforce.
• Revolutionising public procurement and reducing barriers for new entrants and SMEs to bolster domestic competitiveness.

Five sector plans have also been published today:

• Advanced Manufacturing – Backing our Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D over the next five years, with the aim of anchoring supply chains in the UK – from increasing vehicle production to 1.35 million, to leading the next generation of technologies for zero emission flight.
• Clean Energy Industries – Doubling investment in Clean Energy Industries by 2035, with Great British Energy helping to build the clean power revolution in Britain with a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains, taking the total funding for the Great British Energy Supply Chain fund to £1 billion.
• Creative Industries – Maximizing the value of our Creative Industries through a £380 million boost for film and TV, video games, advertising and marketing, music and visual and performing arts will improve access to finance for scale-ups and increase R&D, skills and exports.
• Digital and Technologies – Making the UK the European leader for creating and scaling Digital and Technology businesses, with more than £2 billion to drive the AI Action Plan, including a new Sovereign AI Programme and targeting R&D investment at frontier technologies such as cyber security in Northern Ireland, semiconductors in Wales and quantum technologies in Scotland.
• Professional and Business Services – Ensuring our Professional and Business Services becomes the world’s most trusted adviser to global industry, revolutionising the sector across the world through adoption of UK-grown AI and working to secure mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements overseas.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 22 May 2025.

More than £20 million in funding announced from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board.

A new investment of £21.2 million for regeneration projects will support more than 270 jobs and see the creation of additional construction jobs in the Port Talbot area following the planned announcement today (22 May) of the latest release of funding from the Tata Steel /Port Talbot Transition Board.

Pending endorsement by the Transition Board when it meets today, funding of £21.2 million will be allocated for three more regeneration projects in the Port Talbot area, which will bring an estimated £119 million in GVA benefits to the local economy.

The three projects are:

Creation of an Advanced Manufacturing Production Facility (AMPF) and National Net Zero Skills Centre of Excellence Harbourside, Port Talbot

• £12.5 million to help create a £35 million production and training centre to drive forward low carbon and net zero skills training. The AMPF will make specialist equipment and test products, upscaling advanced manufacturing in the region and is also receiving funding from the Swansea Bay City Deal.
• AMPF is one of three projects contributing to the establishment of an Innovation District in the Harbourside which will also include the previously announced South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH) project and the development of an Innovation Park.
• AMPF, with the National Net Zero Centre of Excellence, will support 170 jobs and engage with 150 companies to generate a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £89.1 million. There will also be additional construction jobs created by this project.
• The National Net Zero Skills Centre of Excellence will provide the facilities and capabilities to train and develop the workforce needed for the Celtic Freeport, Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) and other investment opportunities in the future.

Redevelopment of Metal Box and Sandfields Business Centre (Briton Ferry and Port Talbot)

• These two projects will convert and expand two existing buildings to provide high quality accommodation to enable tenants to expand and improve access to new business units, encouraging and supporting start-up businesses and those seeking to grow. There is significant demand for business space in Neath Port Talbot which this funding will help address.
• A total of £8.7m in Transition Board funding will fully fund the projects, £6.9 million for Metal Box and £1.8 million for Sandfields Business Centre.
• Together, it is estimated that the redevelopments will support 101 jobs and create a net additional GVA of £29.9m by 2035.

The £21.2 million investment announced today is the latest from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, chaired by Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and including representatives from the UK and Welsh Governments, local authorities, unions and business.

Since its first release of funding in August 2024, it has announced more than £70 million to fund skills training for workers and regeneration projects as Tata Steel carries out its transition to electric arc steelmaking.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

We said we would back the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and businesses dependent on Tata Steel.

This latest investment means more than £70 million has been announced by the Transition Board in just nine months, delivering on our promise to the community.

The plans for the Celtic Freeport, development of floating offshore wind, preservation of steelmaking in the town and significant funding for regeneration all mean there is a bright future for Port Talbot.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS said:

We remain committed to ensuring those who have been impacted by the Tata transition, including the workforce, supply chain and local community are supported not only in the short term but well into the future.

I am pleased this latest investment of Tata Transition funding will complement City Deal funding and unlock valuable job opportunities, particularly those linked to renewable energy and high value manufacturing.

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt said:

As we work closely together in meeting the challenges of decarbonisation, it is vital that we also support local people and businesses to maximise the opportunities it offers.

The investment announced today will provide a significant boost to our ongoing work with partners to promote economic growth and to provide people with the skills needed for the industries of the future.

In the coming months, there will be millions more in funding allocated to growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot, ensuring that secure well-paid jobs are available in the local area following Tata Steel’s Transition to greener steelmaking.

The UK Government has committed £2.5 billion of investment to rebuild the UK’s steel industry for decades to come as it decarbonises.

This is in addition to the £500 million allocated to Tata Steel in Port Talbot for an electric arc furnace, which recently received planning approval.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 16 April 2025.

Welsh Secretary visits businesses in the region to discuss their contributions to the UK Government’s clean energy and economic growth missions.

The Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens has spent two days (10th & 11th April) in north Wales meeting leading businesses in the region and discussing their contributions to the UK Government’s clean energy and economic growth missions. The missions are cornerstones of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, which aims to raise living standards across the UK and put more money in people’s pockets.

At Heidelberg Materials’ cement works in Padeswood near Mold, the Secretary of State heard about a pioneering Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project, which aims to decarbonize cement production and contribute to the UK’s net-zero goals.

Heidelberg Materials is proposing a £600 million plus investment at its Padeswood works which would enable it to capture up to 800,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and create around 50 new jobs.

At Enfinium’s Parc Adfer facility in Deeside, the Secretary of State saw how the plant today converts unrecyclable waste into energy and other useful products and the company showcased their plans to retrofit a Carbon Capture Plant.

The CCS project represents a £200 million investment in North Wales’s green economy and Enfinium estimates that it has the potential to actively remove up to 125,000t of carbon from the atmosphere each year from the organic material the plant already processes.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

It’s fantastic to see north Wales at the forefront of plans for Carbon Capture and Storage. It’s a technology that has huge potential for helping us achieve our net zero ambitions.

As part of our Plan for Change we want to encourage innovation and investment like that being shown by these North Wales companies, bringing economic growth as well as the well-paid secure jobs of the future.

Simon Willis, CEO at Heidelberg Materials UK, said:

We were delighted to welcome Jo Stevens to Padeswood and to have the opportunity to showcase our plans for the site.

Our CCS project, which was granted planning permission earlier this month, would bring significant investment and opportunity to the region, boosting the north Wales economy and securing the long-term future of hundreds of skilled jobs.

Once operational, it would also provide net zero building materials for major projects across the country, setting the construction industry on a path to decarbonisation and helping the UK government meet its 2050 net zero targets.

Enfinium CEO Mike Maudsley said:

We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Wales to our Parc Adfer facility in Deeside, to discuss our plans to invest in the region and help grow the green economy in North Wales.

To deliver net zero, Wales and the UK needs to find a way to produce carbon removals at scale. Installing carbon capture at Parc Adfer will not only decarbonise Wales’s unrecyclable waste, but it will also transform the site into the largest carbon removal project in Wales.

While in north Wales the Secretary of State also saw cutting-edge businesses in the area’s life science sector.

Wockhardt UK Ltd is a subsidiary of a global pharmaceutical company which has its UK headquarters in Wrexham. The site also has a sterile injectable manufacturing facility which has been instrumental in producing the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine.

During her visit Jo Stevens toured the laboratory and manufacturing areas, met with apprentices, and discussed the company’s impact on the regional economy. She reiterated the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the life sciences sector and driving sustained economic growth through investment and innovation.

In her final engagement the Secretary of State for Wales visited Ipsen Biopharm, a global biopharmaceutical company with a neuroscience centre of excellence in Wrexham.  She saw their work to develop and manufacture neurotoxins, which are used to treat people living with neurological conditions.

Ipsen has invested more than £100 million into its Wrexham site over the last three years, in order to expand its research and development (R&D) as well as manufacturing capabilities.The site uses 100% renewable energy across its production and research units.

Managing Director of Wockhardt UK Ltd Ravi Limaye said:

We were honoured to welcome the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, to our facility. Wockhardt has been in Wrexham for 21 years and has seen the town become a city and famous on the world stage.

We were involved in the COVID vaccine manufacture and are immensely proud of our dedicated staff who made this happen despite unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic.

Jeannette Brend, Site Head at Ipsen in Wrexham, said:

Ipsen Wrexham manufactures products that are exported to patients in over 90 countries around the world. Wrexham is an important site for Ipsen, and we are proud to be a major employer in the local community and invest in the area.

We welcome the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the life sciences sector and hope that this will continue so innovation can keep flourishing.’’

Throughout her visits, the Secretary of State highlighted the UK Government’s priority of economic growth and clean energy, emphasizing the importance of investments in green technologies and life sciences to support regional development and job creation.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 28 March 2025.

£3.27 million to boost mental health provision in the local community and help steelworkers into work.

A fund of more than £3 million will be created by the UK Government in partnership with Neath Port Talbot Council to support the mental health and wellbeing of Tata Steel workers and their families in Port Talbot and the wider community.

Chairing the latest meeting of the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board today (27 March) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens announced £3.27 million to fund mental health support services in Neath Port Talbot for those affected by Tata Steel’s transition to greener steelmaking.

The funding, which is flexible and may be increased depending on demand, is planned to cover services including:

• hiring more counsellors to work directly with affected steelworkers, and providing extra resources and grants to support existing mental health provision
• expanding availability of community and peer support such as through Men’s Sheds, She Sheds and other community groups
• funding mental health support in schools where children are affected by the Tata Steel transition
• Providing specialist advice for steelworkers and their families navigating the welfare system or struggling with debt
• training council and trade union support workers in suicide awareness and prevention

The latest funding comes from the UK Government’s £80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund which, since last July, has announced more than £50 million to help individual steelworkers and businesses in Tata Steel’s supply chain to protect jobs and grow the local economy.

The latest announcement is the first project to support workers’ mental health and wellbeing. In the coming months, there will be tens of millions more in funding allocated to growth and regeneration projects in Port Talbot, ensuring that secure well-paid jobs are available in the local area.

Wellbeing is key to securing and staying in good employment. So this funding will contribute to UK Government’s mission to boost economic growth and raise living standards in Wales, as part of its Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

The past 18 months have been incredibly difficult for the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and for the wider community but we said we would back them in whatever ways were needed. We are helping people learn new skills but we also need to help protect people’s mental health, because well-being is crucial to getting back into work and staying in work.

By boosting direct support services, we are investing in the people of the area and supporting growth in the local economy.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS said:

Working alongside our Transition Board partners, we will continue to make sure that the right assistance and support is in place for those impacted by the Tata changes as well as providing opportunities for growth, investment and employment wherever they arise.

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt said:

Neath Port Talbot Council welcomes the announcement of this funding and the commitment to support the wellbeing of our local communities through this difficult time. We know the impact of change at the steelworks is being felt deeply across the area, and particularly within Port Talbot itself, where every household will know many others directly or indirectly affected.

This is a vital addition to the support the council is delivering alongside our Transition Board partners, as we adapt to the future of steelmaking in the town and prepare for the new opportunities offered by future investment and developments such as the Celtic Freeport.

Martyn Wagstaff, Mental Health Advisor said:

It’s really important that anyone who is struggling with their mental health asks for help. There is support available and talking to someone is the best way to get better.

This funding from the Transition Board means that people in Neath Port Talbot will be able to access more help when needed.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 6 February 2025.

A new project will support more than 100 jobs and eventually generate more than £87 million for the South Wales economy.

More than 100 jobs are expected to be created and supported with the UK Government announcement of £8.2 million funding for the first regeneration project in Port Talbot with other projects set to follow.

Chairing the latest meeting of the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board today (6 February) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens will announce £8.2 million for the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH) supporting more than 100 jobs.

The South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub project will redevelop a four-acre site at Harbourside, Port Talbot which will include the construction of additional shared space, undertake flood mitigation and the provision of specialist equipment. This investment will help establish an Innovation District in Port Talbot.

This will allow the development of a new facility targeted at supporting the steel and metal industry and supply chain to reduce carbon emissions in production. The facility is expected to create and support more than 100 jobs and eventually benefit the South Wales economy by £87 million.

The latest funding comes from the UK Government’s £80m Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund which, since last July, has announced £51 million to support individual steelworkers and businesses in Tata Steel’s supply chain to protect jobs and grow the local economy. The latest announcement is the first project to support growth and regeneration of the region. In the coming months, there will be up to £30 million (as part of the overall £80 million) put into growth and regeneration projects.

This funding supports the UK Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth and will help deliver the ambition to raise living standards in every part of the United Kingdom as set out its Plan for Change.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

We said we would back the community of Port Talbot through Tata Steel’s transition and we continue to do exactly that.

In just six months there has now been over £50 million announced by the Transition Board to support individual steelworkers and their families, businesses in the supply chain and now on a major regeneration project for the town.

Millions more will follow and while this remains a very difficult time for Tata workers, their families and the community, we are determined to support our steel communities whatever happens.

The Secretary of State will also ensure that work is progressing at pace to develop a range of wellbeing and mental health interventions. This work will prioritise the provision of mental health support, help build community cohesion, support the delivery of wellbeing initiatives and peer support within the local community including that currently delivered via local community and other support groups. Funding to support this work will be announced at the next transition board meeting.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans said:

This announcement builds on the investment that will be unlocked through the recent Celtic Freeport and other investments and innovation we are supporting in and around Port Talbot.

Working alongside our Transition Bard partners, we will continue to do everything we can to provide opportunities for growth wherever they arise as well as making sure that the right assistance and support is in place for those impacted by the Tata changes.

The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said:

We welcome this extra tranche of funding as the SWITCH project will attract jobs and investment to Neath Port Talbot as it progresses over the next few years. It also means this area can build on its long history in the steel and metals industries to address the challenges of our time.”

Professor Helen Griffiths, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Swansea University, said:

SWITCH will leverage Swansea University’s history of uniting academia, industry, local authorities, and government. This significant investment will make Welsh research and innovation expertise even more accessible to business and industry, and help stimulate economic growth, provide long-term employment and foster a thriving community.

The South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH) delivers research to support industrial decarbonisation transition. This announcement of Transition Board funding for the SWITCH Harboursideproject will create a new base for SWITCH. This will add to the facility’s £20 million funding from the Swansea Bay City Deal, which is also part-funded by the UK Government.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 8 January 2025.

Homes and businesses across Wales will no longer be stuck with slow internet speeds as the UK Government’s rollout of gigabit connectivity races ahead.

Around 37,000 homes and businesses across Wales will no longer be stuck with slow internet speeds as the UK Government’s rollout of gigabit connectivity races ahead.

Some of the most isolated communities in Wales will benefit from access to some of the fastest broadband speeds on the market, gaining better access to services including healthcare at home through virtual consultations and remote monitoring, as well as high-quality video calls, which will help pensioners combat loneliness. It will also support businesses to better grow and serve their customers online and help young people have a better start in life through access to online education and the resources to apply and interview for jobs.

Project Gigabit plays a key role in plans to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity as part of the Government’s Plan for Change. With faster internet speeds across the country, communities that would otherwise be left behind with outdated broadband networks will be able to make the most of what the digital world has to offer.

Rural towns and villages, including Betws-y-Coed, Llangollen, the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, as well as Laugharne, Llangwm and Nantgaredig in South West Wales are set to gain access to gigabit connection, as a new contract – worth around £79 million – has been signed by the UK Government and telecoms provider Openreach.

Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said:

For families and businesses across rural Wales, fighting for bandwidth with neighbours will soon be a thing of the past, thanks to this UK Government programme bringing lightning-fast internet to rural areas.

Better broadband will not only enhance the quality of life for tens of thousands of homes and businesses across rural Wales, such as in Flintshire and Conwy, but it will also help us put an end to disparities between urban and rural areas, making Britain a fairer place for all.

The counties set to benefit from the contracts include Flintshire, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Conwy, Isle of Anglesey, and Gwynedd.

The announcement forms part of four new contracts worth over £289 million the government has signed to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to around 131,000 additional homes and businesses across England and Wales.

The latest contracts add to the approximately 96,600 premises already set to benefit under a UK Government agreement with Openreach, bringing the total so far to around 227,600 premises. The agreement announced in August 2024 will make up to £800 million of funding available to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales, ending the plight of buffering for many remote communities.

Across the UK, Project Gigabit contracts are now rolling out gigabit connectivity to over 1.1 million hard-to-reach premises – a figure that will continue to rise in the months ahead, meeting the demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating rural economies and reducing regional disparities.

For households, gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster speeds and fewer dropouts, providing a gateway to remote working and online education. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, gigabit connections won’t slow down at peak times, meaning no more battling for bandwidth with neighbours. Gigabit networks can easily handle over a hundred devices all at once with no buffering, meaning the whole family can seamlessly surf, stream and download at the same time.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

Powered by this UK Government investment, thousands more people and businesses across Wales will have access to ultra-fast broadband.

Our top priority is to drive sustained economic growth. To achieve this, it is vital that every part of Wales has full coverage quickly as possible to boost productivity in all our communities.

Across the UK, over one million hard-to-reach premises already have access to upgrades thanks to UK Government investment. Over 85 per cent of the country can now access gigabit connections, putting the UK in a strong position to meet the government’s target of full gigabit coverage by 2030.

Dozens of Project Gigabit contracts representing more than £2.2 billion investment have now been signed with over 10 different suppliers to deliver the upgrades, including many smaller, independent broadband providers.

Openreach CEO Clive Selley, said:

Our new Full Fibre broadband network now reaches more than half of all properties in the UK, and we’re confident we can reach as many as 30 million premises by the end of the decade, assuming the right regulatory and investment conditions exist. This is a British infrastructure success story which experts say will boost productivity by £73 billion and bring a raft of social and environmental benefits for the country. We believe that everyone deserves access to fast and reliable broadband, and we’re proud that this partnership will help extend our ultrafast, ultra-reliable network to areas that would otherwise be left behind by the private sector.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 28 November 2024.

The Economic Advisory Group will be the first time that representatives from Welsh business, education and industry groups will shape cross-government UK policy

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has announced the formation of a new economic advisory group to drive growth, shape UK industrial strategy and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

For the first time under the new government, leaders from Welsh government, business, industry, universities, and unions will be convened to help shape UK government efforts to boost growth and put more money in people’s pockets.

Announcing the Welsh Economic Growth Advisory Group at the annual CBI Wales dinner in Cardiff, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said it would “harness Wales’s best talent, ambition and creativity”, allowing a full range of Welsh industries to contribute to the UK Government’s economic growth and clean energy missions.

The group will also work with the Welsh Secretary to inform the UK Government’s new Industrial Strategy to boost key Welsh industries, and shape Welsh priorities for the next Spending Review, both expected during spring 2025.

Chaired by the Welsh Secretary, the new group will meet for the first time in Cardiff next week (2 December).

Ahead of the first meeting of the group, Ms Stevens visited Cardiff’s Wolf Studios Wales today (28 November) where she met leading organisations from the creative industries, one of Wales’s growth sectors, including Bad Wolf, Cloth Cat animation, Ffilm Cymru and Creative Wales.

Economic growth is the UK government’s number one priority. Since July more than £1bn and hundreds of jobs have been delivered for North Wales, Welsh Growth Deals and Investment Zones have been confirmed, a better steel deal has been announced which secures the future of the industry in Wales, and a record Budget settlement has been provided to the Welsh Government to spend on public services.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

My new Economic Advisory Group will harness Welsh talent, ambition and creativity to usher in a new era of prosperity and growth for our nation.

We are forging a new partnership with businesses, workers and unions to drive growth and put more money in people’s pockets. This is about jobs for you, investment in where you live, opportunities for your children.

Working alongside the Welsh Government and our industry leaders we will rekindle Wales’s proud industrial roots with the jobs and industries of the future.”

The Economic Growth Advisory Group will begin with a series of meetings over the next six months, as UK Government priorities on economic growth and clean energy are developed.

Alison Orrells, Chair, CBI Wales, said:

I welcome the opportunity to share our members’ insights on the actions needed to unlock and drive sustainable economic growth and build prosperity in communities across Wales.

From regional investments and green growth projects, such as the freeports, to semi-conductor clusters, manufacturing and technology, service sector employers to a skilled workforce, Welsh businesses of all sizes and sectors are represented by the CBI and can play an essential role in enabling the government to deliver on its growth mission.

Shavanah Taj, TUC Cymru General Secretary, said:

We welcome the opportunity to participate in this advisory group to shape the vision for economic growth, industrial strategy and clean energy. Many parts of Wales have been scarred by deindustrialisation and underinvestment, which must be addressed.

These plans will shape workers’ futures throughout Wales, and we will be championing investment in manufacturing, decent work and a transition to net zero that leaves no community behind.

Oriel Petry, Senior Vice President, Head of Airbus Group UK Public Affairs

I am very pleased to join the Welsh Economic Advisory Growth Group at a time when unlocking the potential of the Nations and Regions sits at the heart of the government’s mission to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7.

I look forward to providing strong advocacy on the drivers for economic growth and how Wales can capitalise on its sectoral strengths whilst taking advantage of the industries of the future.

Dr Jenifer Baxter, CEO at Industry Wales, said:

Industry Wales looks forward to collaborating on shaping an industrial strategy that harnesses Wales’ strengths in high value manufacturing, clean energy, medical technologies and transport systems to drive innovation, digital connectivity and economic growth across Wales and The UK.

Sir Derek Jones, Independent Adviser at Cardiff University and Chair of Keolis UK, said:

There is now a clear consensus that economic growth must be the top priority for the UK, and that is certainly true for Wales. So I welcome the Secretary of State’s initiative in establishing the Group and look forward to making my own contribution to this vitally important work.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The Welsh Economic Growth Advisory Group’s initial membership includes:

• Alison Orrells, Chair, CBI Wales
• Dr Jenifer Baxter, Industry Wales
• Ben Francis, Wales Policy Chair, FSB
• Shavanah (Shav) Taj, Wales TUC General Secretary
• John-Paul (JP) Barker – Lead for West and Wales at PWC
• Jessica Hooper, Director, Renewables UK Cymru
• Kevin Crofton, Chair of Creo Medical
• Oriel Petry, Senior Vice President, Airbus
• Professor Paul Boyle, Universities Wales
• Sarah Williams-Gardner, Chair of Fintech Wales
• Sir Derek Jones, an independent adviser at Cardiff University and on the board of the King’s Trust in Wales, Keolis UK and IQE.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 26 November 2024.

Wales’s four police forces will be better supported by the UK Government as part of its mission to deliver safer streets.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens met the chief constables of the four Welsh police forces and the four Police and Crime Commissioners for the first time together last week, days after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced more than half a billion pounds of additional UK Government funding for policing next year to support the government’s Safer Streets mission, including an increase in the core grant for police forces and extra resources for neighbourhood policing.

The reforms will restore community patrols with a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, create an enhanced role for Police and Crime Commissioners to prevent crime and crack down on anti-social behaviour. The government has also pledged to recruit 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs, delivering additional resources for Welsh forces.

On Saturday (23 November) the Welsh Secretary joined South Wales Police officers on patrol in Cardiff following the Wales v South Africa Autumn Nations Series rugby international in the city.

She saw the force’s control room in Cardiff Bay Police Station before joining officers from South Wales Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Team on patrol in the city centre as well as meeting other organisations who operate there including Cardiff Street Pastors.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

I joined the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Cardiff on Saturday to better understand the issues they see on the front line and I have spoken to all the Welsh chief constables and PCCs and heard about the challenges they face.

We know the public wants to see neighbourhood policing restored and for it to be properly resourced to tackle crime.

That’s what this government will deliver and we have already announced that we will recruit 13,000 neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs to do that.

Officers and the Welsh public can be clear that the UK Government will deliver improvements across our policing and justice system that will make a real difference.

Assistant Chief Constable Joanna Maal said:

We are pleased that the Secretary of State for Wales has taken up the opportunity to see first hand the scale and complexity of policing our capital city on a busy international match day.

Cardiff plays host to major events throughout the year, including high-profile music and sporting events, and we are proud to play our part in keeping visitors safe.

However, this has to be done in addition to the significant demands of policing the wider city and communities of South Wales.

Detailed spending plans for police forces in Wales and England for the financial year 2025-26 will be confirmed at the upcoming police funding settlement in December.

North Wales Police is one of 11 UK forces involved in a pilot of a new training programme for neighbourhood policing officers to improve standards and consistency.

The Neighbourhood Policing Pathway will help officers build on the skills they need to tackle the issues communities face every day. When fully rolled out, the training programme will be available to police forces across the country to enrol any neighbourhood officer or PCSO on.