NEW measures to help the post-Corus recovery of South-East Wales were announced by First Minister Rhodri Morgan today.

Some £17 million unallocated in the Assembly's original £76 million package is to be targeted mainly at new business premises and encouraging learning.

The announcement is the government's formal response to the Five Counties regeneration framework - which was exclusively revealed by the Argus in March.

Mr Morgan paid tribute to the local authorities for working together to combat the Corus job losses - more than 2,000 in Gwent - and hoped that co-operation would continue. The need to develop strategic employment sites and business premises in Gwent has been made number-one priority.

The WDA will get £6.575 million from the Corus regeneration package, plus an extra £2.9 million in match funding from the Assembly, which along with EU grants and private-sector cash should pump over £14 million in to providing some 215,000 square feet of premises.

The key sites are: Oakdale, near Blackwood, Queensway Meadows, in Newport, the Tred-egar Business Park, the Ebbw Vale Innovation Centre, small units at Roseheyworth, the Abertillery Town Centre Scheme, in Blaenau Gwent, and at Mamhilad, in Pontypool.

An extra £7 million is being pumped in to the establishment of a Community Learning Network across the region. That comes on top of the £2 million previously announced. The South East Wales Regional Tourism Partnership will get £1 million to support its work. And £2 million has been set aside to enhance the take-up of ICT/broadband - super-fast Internet connections - throughout the region.

Mr Morgansaid: "There are no quick fixes to the problems of the former steelmaking areas, but the Assembly Government is committed to regenerating these areas and to restarting their economic viability."

The news comes as the Corus job cuts were being highlighted at a conference in Cardiff today. It was attracting top speakers, including Mr Morgan, and was addressing the impact of closure and redundancy on steel communities and how to tackle the future.