Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 5 - Tŷ Hywel

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Thursday, 17 July 2025

Meeting time: 09.30 - 13.45
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15551

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Andrew RT Davies MS (Chair) Hannah Blythyn MS Hefin David MS Luke Fletcher MS Llyr Gruffydd MS (In place of Luke Fletcher MS) Samuel Kurtz MS Jenny Rathbone MS
Witnesses:	Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership Duncan Hamer, Welsh Government Emily Hole, Welsh Government Dr Richard Irvine, Welsh Government Helen John, Welsh Government Liz Lalley, Welsh Government Gian Marco Currado, Welsh Government Jo Salway, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Robert Donovan (Clerk) Rachael Davies (Second Clerk) Nicole Haylor-Mott (Deputy Clerk) Elfyn Henderson (Researcher) Katy Orford (Researcher) Ben Stokes (Researcher) Gareth David Thomas (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1     The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.2     Apologies were received from Luke Fletcher MS in relation to item 2. Llyr Gruffydd MS attended as a substitute for this part of the meeting.

1.3     Hefin David MS was present for item 2, and gave apologies for the remainer of the meeting.

1.4     Under SO 17.24A, Andrew RT Davies MS, Samuel Kurtz MS, Llyr Gruffydd MS and Huw Irranca-Davies MS declared an interest in relation to item 2.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Rural Affairs

2.1     The Committee heard evidence from Huw Irranca-Davies MS (Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government), Richard Irvine (Welsh Government), and Gian Marco Currado (Welsh Government).

2.2     Huw Irranca- Davies MS and Hannah Blythyn MS both declared an interest in relation to a question in this session, under SO 17.24A.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Trade and Borders

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from 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 (Welsh Government), and Helen John (Welsh Government).

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Economy and Skills

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from 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 (Welsh Government), Duncan Hamer (Welsh Government), and Liz Lalley (Welsh Government).

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Papers to note

5.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI5>

<AI6>

5.1 AI and the Welsh Economy

</AI6>

<AI7>

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

</AI7>

<AI8>

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

</AI8>

<AI9>

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

</AI9>

<AI10>

5.5 Consultation: Reviewing Committee Effectiveness in the Sixth Senedd

</AI10>

<AI11>

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

</AI11>

<AI12>

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

</AI12>

<AI13>

5.8 Holyhead Port storm damage and closure: Initial findings report

</AI13>

<AI14>

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

6.1     The Committee agreed the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting.

</AI14>

<AI15>

7 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Consideration of evidence

7.1     The Committee discussed the evidence heard under items 2, 3 and 4.

7.2     The Committee also agreed to invite the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to a further general scrutiny session on rural affairs early in the Autumn term.

</AI15>

<AI16>

8 Trade monitoring report discussion

8.1     The Committee discussed the trade monitoring report.

</AI16>

<AI17>

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

9.1     The Committee considered their chapter of the final draft report, and agreed to its publication in the joint report.

</AI17>

<AI18>

10 Soil Health in Agriculture: Key issues discussion

10.1   The Committed discussed the key issues arising from the Soil Health in Agriculture inquiry, and agreed to move forward with drafting the Committee’s report.

</AI18>

<AI19>

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

11.1   The Committee agreed the draft report for publication.

</AI19>

<AI20>

12 Forward Work Programme discussion

12.1   The Committee considered its planned forward work programme for the Autumn term, in light of expected legislation soon to be introduced by the Welsh Government falling under the Committee’s remit.

12.2   The Committee also discussed and agreed moving forward with a new inquiry into Inward Investment, with evidence sessions expected to be planned towards the end of the Autumn term.

</AI20>

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