内容摘要：The court previously heard that when questioned by police the teenager had denied anything had happened only to change his mind five months later.

The court previously heard that when questioned by police the teenager had denied anything had happened only to change his mind five months later.

She said the funding puts "a safety net in place now to ensure we can back workers and businesses, whatever happens".The Labour minister also announced that more than 50 businesses have signed a pledge to support any workers forced to leave their jobs in the steelworks.

The previous Conservative government pledged £500m to Tata towards the cost of a new £1.25bn electric arc furnace, which will melt scrap steel and requires far fewer workers than traditional blast furnaces.Construction of the new furnace is scheduled to begin in August 2025.Tata Steel UK chief executive Rajesh Nair said: "The transition board has been set up to support both Tata Steel employees and those in local supply chain companies, so today's announcement and the ambition to help the region and local communities grow in line with the changing needs of the developing industrial ecosystem here in south Wales, is very much welcomed."

Alun Davies, the Community union's national officer for steel, said Ms Stevens had acted "at pace to ensure that this first tranche of funding can be released as swiftly as possible".But he stressed "it remains our firm belief that no compulsory redundancies are necessary, and that an alternative approach is still possible".

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, of the GMB union, said the transition board meeting was "a welcome sign of the reset this new government offers".

"We are keen to hear further about the government’s commitments to fast and targeted support for industry," she said.Representatives from Japan have visited the town to learn about the award-winning, community-led, blood pressure-check programme entitled 'How's The Ticker'.

Representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government visited Barnsley to see first-hand how the scheme works.The initiative, launched in 2022, has delivered more than 8,000 free blood pressure checks across the borough, with the scheme popping up in barber shops, cafes, libraries and workplaces.

The Japanese delegation visited Barnsley to witness how the town uses local data to target residents who are most at risk of heart problems, and how public health teams are reaching people in familiar, everyday settings with schemes such as 'How's The Ticker'.They continue to urge employers in the area to take part in the scheme by hosting on-site health checks.