Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 5 – Tŷ Hywel

and video Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Thursday, 18 January 2024

Meeting time: 10.30 - 13.45
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/13662

Hybrid

------

Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Paul Davies MS (Chair) Jack Sargeant MS (In place of Hefin David MS) Luke Fletcher MS Vikki Howells MS Samuel Kurtz MS Alun Davies MS (In place of Buffy Williams MS)
Witnesses:	Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd Gian Marco Currado, Welsh Government Dr Richard Irvine, Welsh Government Dean Medcraft, Welsh Government Jo Salway, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Rob Donovan, Clerk Lara Date, Second Clerk Evan Jones, Deputy Clerk Ceri Thomas, Committee Support Officer Sara Moran, Researcher Lucy Morgan, Researcher Katy Orford, Researcher Gareth Thomas, Researcher

<AI1>

1 Inquiry: Green Economy - scoping paper

1.1     The Committee considered and agreed the scoping paper.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

2.1     The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2.2     Apologies were received from Hefin David MS and Buffy Williams MS. Jack Sargeant MS and Alun Davies MS attended as substitutes.

2.3     There were no declarations of interest.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Papers to note

3.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1 Inter-Ministerial Group for Trade meeting

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2 Inquiry into UK-EU Governance

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3 General Ministerial Scrutiny – 13 December 2023

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.4 The Official Controls (Extension of Transitional Periods) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024

</AI7>

<AI8>

4 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Minister of Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd.

4.2     The Minister would provide the Committee with clarification of the amount of revenue funding allocated to Farming Connect for 2024-25 from within the Rural Investment Schemes BEL.

4.2     The Minister agreed to write to the Committee with additional information on impact assessments undertaken to measure the economic impact on Welsh farmers of wider macro-economic factors, such as inflation, the War in Ukraine, and policy choices relating to Brexit.

4.3     The Minister agreed to write to the Committee to provide clarity around the budget figures regarding cuts to the fisheries budget.

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25: Minister for Economy

5.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Economy.

5.2     The Minister for Economy agreed to provide a note to the Committee that was sent from the Minister for Education to the Children, Young People and Education Committee to show what Welsh Government is looking to do for degree apprenticeships.

5.3     The Minister agreed to write to the Committee to outline potential changes to objectives and targets that may be set for business support as a consequence of spending reductions, as well as provide information on what support Business Wales provide alongside the Development Bank of Wales in the business support environment.

</AI9>

<AI10>

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

6.1     The Motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting was agreed.

</AI10>

<AI11>

7 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25: Consideration of evidence

7.1     The Committee considered the evidence received.

</AI11>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2. FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1 FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2 FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>