Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Hybrid – Committee room 5 Ty Hywel

and video Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 13 September 2023

Meeting time: 09.32 - 12.14
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/13472

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Paul Davies MS (Chair)

Hefin David MS

Luke Fletcher MS

Vikki Howells MS

Samuel Kurtz MS

Buffy Williams MS

Witnesses:

James Gibson-Watt, Powys County Council

Kellie Beirne, Cardiff Capital Region City Deal

Jonathan Burnes, Swansea Bay City Deal

Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council

Carwyn Jones-Evans, Ceredigion County Council

Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Gwynedd Council

David Simpson, Pembrokeshire County Council

Hedd Vaughan-Evans, Ambition North Wales

Nicola Williams, Powys County Council

Committee Staff:

Lara Date, Second Clerk

Evan Jones, Deputy Clerk

Karen Williams, Committee Support Officer

Sara Moran, Researcher

Ben Stokes, Researcher

Gareth Thomas, Researcher

Katy Orford, Researcher

Nia Moss, Researcher

Lucy Morgan, Researcher

 

<AI1>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1     The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies and no declarations of interest.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       Papers to note

2.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1   Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee - 17 May 2023

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2   Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3   Follow up to the General Ministerial Scrutiny session on 21 June 2023

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4   Follow up to the General Ministerial Scrutiny session on 21 June 2023

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5   Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Non-Domestic Rating Bill

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.6   Forage Maize Seed Treatments

</AI8>

<AI9>

2.7   Manufacturing in Wales – one-day inquiry - 8 June 2023

</AI9>

<AI10>

2.28 Draft Budget Timetable 2024-25

</AI10>

<AI11>

2.9   Primary Care Electronic Prescription Service

</AI11>

<AI12>

2.10 Food (Wales) Bill: Response to recommendations in the Committee's report

</AI12>

<AI13>

2.11 UK/Switzerland: Agreement on Recognition of Professional Qualifications

</AI13>

<AI14>

2.12 HGV drivers in Wales

</AI14>

<AI15>

2.13 Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry: Devolution Capability in Whitehall

</AI15>

<AI16>

2.14 People’s Plan for Nature

</AI16>

<AI17>

2.15 Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)

</AI17>

<AI18>

2.16 Border Target Operating Model (BTOM)

</AI18>

<AI19>

2.17 Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Trade on 7 September

</AI19>

<AI20>

2.18 Legislative Consent Memoranda on the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill

</AI20>

<AI21>

3       Mid Wales Growth Deal and Cardiff Capital Region City Deal

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel.

</AI21>

<AI22>

4       Swansea Bay City Deal and North Wales Growth Deal

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel.

4.2     Under Standing Order 17.47, the Chair temporarily suspended proceedings to resolve a technical issue. Proceedings were suspended from 10:58 to 11:01.

</AI22>

<AI23>

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

5.1     The Motion to exclude the public for the remainder of the meeting was agreed.

</AI23>

<AI24>

6       Scoping Paper: Inquiry into Nuclear Energy and the Welsh Economy

6.1     The Committee considered the paper and agreed scope and approach for an inquiry into Nuclear Energy and the Welsh economy.

</AI24>

<AI25>

7       The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: Update

7.1     The Committee received an update on REUL and agreed to write to the Welsh Government requesting that it:

 

·         Confirms whether any plans are being developed to use the new powers provided to the Welsh Ministers by the Act.

·         Confirms whether it is aware of any UK Government plans to use the new powers in devolved areas, or in reserved areas that will impact Wales; and to

·         Share a copy of its latest analysis of the REUL listed in Schedule 1 within this Committee’s remit.

</AI25>

<AI26>

8       Trade Agreements Update: Summer 2023

8.1     The Committee received an update on Trade Agreements and agreed to:

 

·         Write to the UK Government requesting its analysis of what the CPTPP means for Wales.

·         Write to the Welsh Government to request its perspective document detailing its analysis of CPTPP membership; and

·         Consider taking further action on receipt of the document, including continued monitoring of the agreement’s expected impacts, obtaining stakeholder evidence and sharing information with counterpart committees in other UK parliaments.

</AI26>

<AI27>

9       Consideration of Forward Work Programme: Spring 2024

9.1     The Committee considered and agreed an outline Forward Work Programme for Spring 2024.

</AI27>

<AI28>

10    Brussels Visit: Options Paper

10.1   The Committee considered options and decided to give further consideration to the timing of a visit.

</AI28>

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