A MEETING on the future of Wales’ steel industry was “constructive and significant”, first minister Carwyn Jones has said.

Mr Jones, along with UK Government economy minister Sajid Javid, travelled to Mumbai earlier this week for a meeting of the board of Tata Steel, where executives discussed bids made for the firm’s UK operations.

The company is believed to have created a shortlist out the seven bids submitted for its UK operations – including one by Excalibur Steel, which was created by a group of managers from the Port Talbot plant, and another by Liberty Group, owned by Monmouthshire businessman Sanjeev Gupta.

Tata’s runs plants in Llanwern, Caerphilly, Port Talbot and elsewhere in Britain, but in March announced it would sell its entire UK business in the face of rising costs and falling profits.

In a statement to AMs following the meeting Mr Jones said: “I have maintained regular dialogue with Tata throughout the sales process and I travelled to Mumbai to press the case for Wales very directly with Tata’s senior leaders.

“Assembly Members will understand that I cannot go into detail on commercially sensitive issues, but I can say that the discussions were constructive and significant.

“Tata is now in the process of evaluating the offers it has received.”

He added the Welsh Government was working to secure the future of steel making in Wales and was prepared to work with other organisations towards this.

“I have stressed many times that our priority is to maintain steel making in Wales both in the strategic interests of the country as a whole and in the specific interests of our steel making communities,” he said.

“This Welsh Government will continue to do everything we can to ensure this happens.”

He added he would table a statement for a forthcoming Plenary meeting “at the earliest opportunity”.

Earlier this week the UK Government announced it was launching a consultation into changing pension law in order to protect the pensions of current and former steel workers.

Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb said: "Britain's steel industry is an important part of our economy which is why we are doing everything we can to support it and secure a long-term viable future.”

To view the consultation visit gov.uk.