Meetings

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

Russell Roberts, Deputy Director – Trade and Investment, Welsh Government

Emily Hole, Head of Trade Policy, Welsh Government

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, and Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government, on matters related to trade and borders, supported by officials Emily Hole and Russell Roberts.

6.1    The Committee considered the evidence received under items 2 and 3 and agreed to seek further clarification from the Cabinet Secretary in relation to the figures for apprenticeships.

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

Liz Lalley, Director - Economic Policy and Strategy, Welsh Government

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by official Liz Lalley.

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

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

Liz Lalley, Director - Economic Policy and Strategy, Welsh Government

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

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Welsh Government, and Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Liz Lalley and Jo Salway.

3.2    The Cabinet Secretary committed to writing to the Committee with some further information on several points raised in the course of the meeting.

5.1    The Committee considered the evidence received under item 2, and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary seeking follow-up information on a number of points raised during the session.

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

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

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

Kate Hearnden, Head of Industry Decarbonisation, Energy & Steel, Welsh Government

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by three officials.

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

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).

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

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).

Letter from the Chair of the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales in relation to the temporary closure of Holyhead Port – 20 December 2024

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

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

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

Andrew Gwatkin, Director - International Relations and Trade, Welsh Government

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

5.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, and Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership.

5.2    The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with further detail in relation to several issues raised.

Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, Welsh Government

Aine Gawthorpe, Deputy Directory, Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy, Welsh Government

Helen John, Deputy Director, Projects – Border Controls and Statutory Registration and Licensing Scheme, Welsh Government

Neil Surman, Deputy Director - Skills, Welsh Government

3.1        The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language.

3.2        The Cabinet Secretary agreed to write to the Committee to advise the actions that Welsh Government are taking to substitute and improve food security around basic products.

3.3        The Cabinet Secretary agreed to write to the Committee to provide more information on the reasons for pausing trade deal negotiations with Canada and Mexico.

3.4        The Cabinet Secretary committed to publishing the Welsh Government paper on its approach to trade policy and the cross-cutting policy objectives after the general election.

3.5        The Committee agreed to write to Welsh Government with questions Members had on Freeports that were not reached during the session.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, Welsh Government

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

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

Tom Smithson, Deputy Director, Economic Strategy & Regulation, Welsh Government

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy.

4.2     The Minister agreed to write to the Committee to provide figures regarding the takeup of apprenticeships in the January programmes.

§  Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, Welsh Government

§  Duncan Hamer, Director of Operations – Business & Regions, Welsh Government

§  Andrew Gwatkin, Director - International Relations & Trade, Welsh Government

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

5.1    The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy

Andrew Gwatkin, Director, International Relations & Trade, Welsh Government

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

Peter Ryland, Director, Regional Investment & Borders, Welsh Government

3.1 The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy.

3.2 The Minister agreed to write to the Committee with additional information on key performance indicators for the Business Wales service from 2023-2029.

3.3  The Committee accepted the offer from the Minister for Economy to provide Members with the details provided by Minister Huddlestone to Welsh Government regarding the new departmental structure and ministerial responsibility for DBT, and Members also requested additional information regarding the Border Target Operating Model.

Vaughan Gething MS

Duncan Hamer, Director of Operations, Business & Regions

Jo Salway, Director, Social Partnership and Fair Work

Chris Hale, Head of Welsh Government Office for Science

6.1 The Committee heard evidence from the Welsh Government.

6.2 The Minister agreed to write to the Committee with further information regarding their work with the Companion Animal Network.

6.3 The Minister agreed to write to the Committee with further information regarding the Welsh Government roads review - growth deals, and the economic impact.

6.4 The Minister agreed to write to the Committee clarifying the work on employee owned businesses and the split between Welsh Government and Development Bank of Wales.

6.5 The Minister agreed to send a note on the progress with each growth deal.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy

Sioned Evans, Director, Business and Regions

Duncan Hamer, Director of Operations, Business and Regions

Andrew Gwatkin, Director, International Relations and Trade

Helen John, Programme Director, Border Controls Programme

3.1 The Committee scrutinised the Minister for Economy.

3.2 The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with  further information on the discussions taking place with young people, following the publication of the young person’s guarantee annual report in the new year.  

3.3 The Minister agreed to provide a note on degree apprenticeships and their future development, following the publication of the Draft Budget.

3.4 The Minister agreed to share with the Committee the Welsh Government’s response to the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s consultation on the energy business relief scheme, once available.

3.5 The Minister agreed to engage with the Committee in a longer term conversation about the future of business rates following the Draft Budget.  

3.6 Due to time constraints the Chair agreed to send questions on research and innovation to the Minister for a written response.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy

Sioned Evans, Director, Business and Regions

Andrew Gwatkin, Director, International Relations and Trade

Steffan Roberts, Deputy Director, Tourism Development and Sport

5.1 The Minister for Economy and Welsh Government officials answered questions from Committee Members

5.2 The Minister agreed to provide the Committee with an update on a) how Coronavirus business support funding money has been used and b) the money that has been returned.

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy

Steffan Roberts, Deputy Director, Tourism Development and Sport

Claire McDonald, Deputy Director, Economic Policy

Heledd Owen, Deputy Director, Marketing

4.1 The Minister for Economy and Welsh Government officials answered questions from Committee Members

4.2 The additional information was noted by the Committee

Vaughan Gething MS

Sioned Evans, Director, Business and Regions

Andrew Gwatkin, Director, International Relations and Trade

Timothy Render, Director, Land, Nature and Food

Peter Ryland, Chief Executive WEFO

3.1 The Minister for Economy and Welsh Government officials answered questions from Committee Members

3.2 The Minister for Economy would update the Committee on the Business Development and Recovery Fund after his forthcoming meeting with the British Business Bank and the Development Bank of Wales. The Minister would update the Committee on the running costs of the border control posts when more information was available.