Tata Steel sale pause 'sensible' - Alun Cairns

Tata Steel is expected to announce on Friday that it will pause the sale of most of its UK business, including Port Talbot, the BBC understands.

However, it will proceed with the sale of its specialty steel making business, which employs 2,000 employees in Hartlepool, Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Tata is less concerned about the speed of the sale due to rising steel prices and a raft of government incentives.

But it leaves the future of the rest of the 9,000-strong workforce unclear.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said talks with the company was continuing but the urgency of the situation had been removed and the pause in the sale was a "positive step".