Agenda - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 5 - Tŷ Hywel

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: 17 July 2025

Meeting time: 09.30
For further information contact:

Robert Donovan

Committee Clerk

0300 200 6565

SeneddEconomy@senedd.wales

Hybrid

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<AI1>

Private pre-meeting

09.15 - 09.30

</AI1>

<AI2>

Public session

09.30 - 12.50

</AI2>

<AI3>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

09.30

</AI3>

<AI4>

2 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Rural Affairs

09.30 - 10.30 (Pages 1 - 28)

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

Richard Irvine, Chief Veterinary Officer, Welsh Government

Gian Marco Currado, Director - Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Evidence paper on Rural Affairs - Welsh Government

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break

10.30 - 10.35

</AI5>

<AI6>

3 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Trade and Borders

10.35 - 11.20 (Pages 29 - 58)

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government

Emily Hole, Head of Trade Policy, Welsh Government

Helen John, Deputy Director -Borders Controls Programme, Welsh Government

Richard Irvine, Chief Veterinary Officer, Welsh Government

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Evidence paper on International Trade & Border Controls - Welsh Government

</AI6>

<AI7>

Break

11.20 - 11.30

</AI7>

<AI8>

4 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Economy and Skills

11.30 - 12.50 (Pages 59 - 104)

Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government

Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Welsh Government

Jo Salway, Director - Social Partnership, Employability & Fair Work, Welsh Government

Duncan Hamer, Director of Operations - Business & Regions, Welsh Government

Liz Lalley, Director – Economic Strategy and Green Growth, Welsh Government

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Evidence paper on Economy - Welsh Government
Evidence paper on Skills - Welsh Government

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 Papers to note

12.50

</AI9>

<AI10>

5.1 AI and the Welsh Economy

(Pages 105 - 113)

Attached Documents:
Welsh Government’s response to the Committee's report ‘AI and the Welsh Economy: Can Welsh androids dream of electric sheep?’ - 3 July 2025

</AI10>

<AI11>

5.2 The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 - Poultry Catching and Handling

(Page 114)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs - 4 July 2025

</AI11>

<AI12>

5.3 Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(Page 115)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair of Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 7 July 2025

</AI12>

<AI13>

5.4 City and Growth Deals: Business Support Landscape - Follow-up to the committee meeting held on 4 June 2025

(Pages 116 - 117)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Leaders of Ceredigion and Powys County Councils as Joint Chairs of the Growing Mid Wales Board - 7 July 2025

</AI13>

<AI14>

5.5 Consultation: Reviewing Committee Effectiveness in the Sixth Senedd

(Page 118)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Chairs' Forum to Committee Chairs - 8 July 2025

</AI14>

<AI15>

5.6 Culture and Creative Industries Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG)

(Page 119)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 9 July 2025

</AI15>

<AI16>

5.7 Follow-up to 15 May Committee meeting - Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021

(Pages 120 - 121)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs - 9 July 2025

</AI16>

<AI17>

5.8 Holyhead Port storm damage and closure: Initial findings report

(Page 122)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales - 10 July 2025

</AI17>

<AI18>

6 Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

12.50

</AI18>

<AI19>

Private session

12.50 - 14.05

</AI19>

<AI20>

7 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Consideration of evidence

12.50 - 13.05

</AI20>

<AI21>

8 Trade monitoring report discussion

13.05 - 13.15 (Pages 123 - 129)

Attached Documents:
Trade monitoring report

</AI21>

<AI22>

9 UK-EU implementation review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Consideration of draft report

13.15 - 13.25 (Pages 130 - 239)

Attached Documents:
Draft report

</AI22>

<AI23>

10 Soil Health in Agriculture: Key issues discussion

13.25 - 13.45 (Pages 240 - 251)

Attached Documents:
Key issues paper

</AI23>

<AI24>

11 Legislative Consent: Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill (2024 - 2025): Consideration of draft report

13:45-13:50 (Pages 252 - 257)

Attached Documents:
Draft report

</AI24>

<AI25>

12 Forward Work Programme discussion

13:50-14:05

</AI25>

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