Meetings

Future of Welsh Steel

This page gives details of any meetings held which will, or did, discuss the matter, and includes links to the relevant Papers, Agendas and Minutes.

Note: Meeting Agenda can change at short notice. Particularly where future meeting dates are indicated more than a week in advance. Please check before planning to attend a Committee Meeting that the item you are interested in has not been moved.

 

 

Meeting: 25/03/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5.3)

5.3 Future of Welsh Steel: Written evidence

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 25/03/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4.)

The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 3

Russell Codling, Director of Sales, Tata Steel UK

Vladyslav Darahan, Head of International Trade and Compliance, Tata Steel UK

Meeting: 25/03/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 7.)

The Steel Industry in Wales: Consideration of evidence

Meeting: 25/03/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3.)

The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 2

Ceri Davies, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, 7 Steel UK

Laura Thomas, Commercial Director, 7 Steel UK

Meeting: 25/03/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2.)

2. The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 1

Ian Williams (Unite), Secretary, Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot

Barrie Evans (Community), Chair, Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Meeting: 29/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 8)

Future of Welsh Steel: Consideration of evidence

Minutes:

8.1    The Committee considered the evidence received under item 3.

Meeting: 29/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh Steel

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

Áine Gawthorpe, Deputy Director, Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy, Welsh Government

Neil Surman, Deputy Director - Skills, Welsh Government

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Áine Gawthorpe and Neil Surman.

Meeting: 21/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Steel inquiry

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 03/12/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh steel: Trade defence

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 20/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Future of Welsh steel: Transition Board

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 20/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Invitation to give oral evidence to the Committee on the developments in the Welsh steel industry

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 13/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel: Transition Board

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 13/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel: Trade Defence

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 13/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel: Follow-up information after evidence session on 9 October 2025

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Invitation to give oral evidence to the Committee on the developments in the Welsh steel industry

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel session - 9 October 2025

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 European Commission Steel proposals

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/11/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 UK Steel Industry

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 09/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 7)

Future of Welsh Steel: Consideration of evidence

Minutes:

7.1    The Committee discussed the evidence heard under items 2, 3 and 4, and agreed to draft follow-up correspondence to seek further information.

Meeting: 09/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

Future of Welsh Steel: Panel 3

Dan Williams (Community), Deputy Chair, Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot

Ian Williams (Unite), Secretary, Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot

Minutes:

4.1    The Committee heard evidence from Ian Williams (Unite / Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot), and also from Wayne Thomas (Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot), who attended on the day in place of Dan Williams.

 

Meeting: 09/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

Future of Welsh Steel: Panel 2

Alasdair McDiarmid, Assistant General Secretary, Community Union

Jason Bartlett, National Officer for Tata Steel UK, Unite the Union Wales

Tom Hoyles, Press Administration and Research, GMB Union

Minutes:

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Alasdair McDiarmid (Community Union), (Jason Bartlett, Unite the Union Wales), and Tom Hoyles (GMB Union).

 

Meeting: 09/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel: Panel 1

Rajesh Nair, CEO, Tata Steel UK

Chris Jaques, Chief HR Officer, Tata Steel UK

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rajesh Nair (Tata Steel UK), and Chris Jaques (Tata Steel UK).

 

Meeting: 01/10/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 7)

7 Future of Welsh Steel: Citizen Engagement Approach Discussion

Supporting documents:

  • Citizen Engagement Approach Paper

Minutes:

7.1    The Committee discussed and agreed the suggested approach to the citizen engagement for this work, and put forth additional ideas on work to be carried out.

Meeting: 09/07/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Committee visit to Community Support Centre, Port Talbot

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 26/06/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 7)

Feedback from visit to Port Talbot Steelworks Community Support Centre

Minutes:

7.1     The Committee discussed their thoughts and findings from their visit to the Community Support Centre in Port Talbot, which took place on Thursday 19 June.

7.2     The Committee agreed to draft correspondence in follow-up to this visit.

Meeting: 19/06/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 1.)

Community Support Centre, Aberafan Shopping Centre

Committee Members visited Community Support Centre in Aberafan Shopping Centre, Port Talbot as part of their ongoing inquiry into the Future of Welsh Steel.

 

During the visit, Members met with senior representatives from Community Union and representatives from their partner organisations, including Business Wales and Neath Port Talbot Employability, to hear more about the support available for those affected by the blast furnace closure.

Meeting: 06/03/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 05/02/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 15/01/2025 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 20/11/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh Steel

The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales, UK Government

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

Áine Gawthorpe, Deputy Director - Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy, Welsh Government

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

Emma Edworthy, Deputy Director – Employability, Welsh Government

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from the Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales, UK Government, and Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government.

3.2    The Committee agreed to write to the Secretary of State and the Cabinet Secretary with questions that were not reached during the session.

 

Meeting: 18/09/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 26/06/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 13/06/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 09/05/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 24/04/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 7)

7 Future of Welsh Steel: Key issues paper

Supporting documents:

  • 7 - Future of Welsh Steel Key Issues Paper

Minutes:

7.1     The Committee considered the key issues paper.

Meeting: 24/04/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel - Tata Steel UK

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 14/03/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh Steel: Secretary of State for Wales

Rt Hon David TC Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, UK Government

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Secretary of State for Wales.

3.2     The Committee agreed to write to the Department for Business and Trade to seek more information, with regard to its consideration of Tata's business model for an electric arc furnace using scrap steel, to putting a ban on exporting scrap steel.

Meeting: 06/03/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 29/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel: Expert panel 2

Dr Dean Stroud, Cardiff University

Professor Vera Trappmann, Comparative Employment Relations, University of Leeds

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the future of Welsh steel.

5.2     Professor Vera Trappmann agreed to write to the Committee to provide additional information on managing the transition of the workforce and learning from other countries in how to manage this transition. This was supplementary to Professor Trappmann's written evidence provided for the meeting itself, which had been noted by Members and would be published in due course.

Meeting: 29/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

4 Future of Welsh Steel: Expert panel

Ben Burggraaf, Chief Executive Officer, Net Zero Industry Wales

Professor Dave Worsley, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University

Dr Clare Richardson-Barlow, University of Leeds

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the future of Welsh steel.

Meeting: 29/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh Steel: Steel Unions

Alasdair McDiarmid, Assistant General Secretary, Community Union

Tom Hoyles, Press Administration and Research, GMB Union

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary, Unite the Union

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the future of Welsh steel.

Meeting: 29/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee meeting - 7 February 2024: Further information following the Tata Steel UK session

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 28/02/2024 - Children, Young People, and Education Committee (Item 3)

3 Future of Welsh Steel

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 07/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 4)

Tata Steel UK

Rajesh Nair, Chief Executive, Tata Steel UK

Chris Jaques, Chief Human Resources Officer, Tata Steel UK

Minutes:

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from representatives of Tata Steel UK.

4.2     Tata Steel UK agreed to write to the Committee to provide a breakdown of the proposed redundancies at each of their UK sites, and how the balance of proposed redundancies between the various sites was decided.

Meeting: 07/02/2024 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Minister for Economy - Tata Steel session

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, Welsh Government

Dickie Davis, Deputy Director – Special Projects and Construction, Welsh Government

Nigel Elias, Senior Industrial Transformation Manager – Steel, Welsh Government

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy.

 

Meeting: 13/12/2023 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 3)

3 Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee meeting - 30 November 2023: The Future of Welsh Steel session

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 30/11/2023 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 6)

6 The Future of Welsh Steel: Trade Unions

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, National Officer, Manufacturing, GMB Union

Alasdair McDiarmid, Assistant General Secretary, Community Union

Peter Hughes, Wales Secretary, Unite the Union

 

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

6.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the future of Welsh steel.

Meeting: 11/10/2023 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Minister for Economy: Border Control Posts in Wales; and Future of Welsh Steel

Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, Welsh Government

Dickie Davis, Deputy Director, Special Projects and Construction, Welsh Government

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

Claire McDonald, Deputy Director, Economic Policy, Welsh Government

Peter Ryland, Chief Executive, Welsh European Funding Office, Welsh Government

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy on the Border Target Operating Model, Border Control Posts, Windsor Framework, Freeports, and Tata Steel.

Meeting: 28/09/2023 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 2)

2 Tata Steel Transformation Support

Supporting documents:

Meeting: 28/09/2023 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Item 5)

5 Future of Welsh Steel

Rt Hon David TC Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, UK Government

Supporting documents:

  • Research brief

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee heard evidence from the Secretary of State for Wales.

5.1 Under Standing Order 17.49, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, a Member of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, also attended this session.

 

 

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