Agenda - Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 3 Senedd

and video Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: 21 March 2024

Meeting time: 09.30
For further information contact:

Marc Wyn Jones

Committee Clerk

0300 200 6565

SeneddClimate@senedd.wales

Hybrid

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<AI1>

Private pre-meeting (09.15-09.30)

</AI1>

<AI2>

Public meeting (09.30-14.00)

</AI2>

<AI3>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

(09.30)

</AI3>

<AI4>

2 Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) - evidence session with farming representatives

(09.30-10.45) (Pages 1 - 189)

Aled Jones, President - National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru

Rachel Lewis-Davies, National Environment and Land Use Adviser - National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru

Gareth Parry, Deputy Head of Policy - Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW)

Elin Jenkins, Policy Officer - Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW)

George Dunn, Chief Executive - Tenant Farmers Association

Attached Documents:
Research brief - Sustainable Farming Scheme
Paper - National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru
Paper - Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW)
Paper - Tenant Farmers Association

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break (10.45-11.00)

</AI5>

<AI6>

3 Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) - evidence session with environmental organisations

(11.00-12.15) (Pages 190 - 270)

Rhys Evans, Wales Manager, Sustainable Farming Lead - Nature Friendly Farming Network

Arfon Williams, Head of Land and Sea Policy - RSPB Cymru

Andrew Tuddenham, Head of Policy Wales – Soil Association

Alex Phillips, Policy & Advocacy Manager - WWF Cymru

Attached Documents:
Paper - Nature Friendly Farming Network (Key Points Briefing)
Paper - Nature Friendly Farming Network (Consultation response)
Paper - Soil Association (Summary)
Paper - Soil Association (Consultation response)
Paper - Wales Environment Link

</AI6>

<AI7>

Lunch break (12.15-13.00)

</AI7>

<AI8>

4 Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) - evidence session with academics

(13.00-14.00) (Pages 271 - 281)

Dr Ludivine Petetin, School of Law and Politics -  Cardiff University

Professor Iain Donnison, Head of Department - Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences (IBERS)

Attached Documents:
Paper - Dr Ludivine Petetin
Paper - Professor Iain Donnison

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 Papers to note (14.00)

</AI9>

<AI10>

5.1 Legislative Consent: Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

(Pages 282 - 283)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee to Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology in relation to the National Underground Asset Register.

</AI10>

<AI11>

5.2 Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS)

(Pages 284 - 288)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Petitions Committee to the Chair in relation to the petition P-06-1388 Remove the requirement for farmers to have at least 10% tree cover to access the new Sustainable Farming Scheme
Letter from the Chair to the Chair of the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee in relation to the Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS)
Letter from the Chair to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd in relation to the Welsh Government’s proposals for a Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS)

</AI11>

<AI12>

5.3 The Plant Health (Fees) (England) and Official Controls (Frequency of Checks) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

(Pages 289 - 293)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the Chair in relation to the Plant Health (Fees) (England) and Official Controls (Frequency of Checks) (Amendment) Regulations 2024
Follow up letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the Chair in relation to thePlant Health (Fees) (England) and Official Controls (Frequency of Checks) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

</AI12>

<AI13>

5.4 Internal Drainage Districts

(Pages 294 - 296)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee to Mabon ap Gwynfor in relation to Internal Drainage Districts
Letter from Mabon ap Gwynfor MS to the Chair in relation to Internal Drainage Districts

</AI13>

<AI14>

5.5 The Environment and Rural Affairs (Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2024

(Pages 297 - 298)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd to the Chair in relation to the Environment and Rural Affairs (Revocation and Consequential Provision) Regulations 2024

</AI14>

<AI15>

5.6 Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25

(Pages 299 - 327)

Attached Documents:
Response from the Minister and Deputy Minister for Climate Change to the Committee's report: Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25

</AI15>

<AI16>

5.7 Scrutiny of Transport for Wales

(Pages 328 - 337)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chief Executive of Transport for Wales to the Chair in relation to the annual scrutiny of Transport for Wales
Letter from the Chief Executive of Transport for Wales to the Chair in relation to the provision of services during the Football Euro 2024

</AI16>

<AI17>

5.8 Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-Ministerial Group

(Page 338)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Minister for Climate Change to the Chair in relation to the Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-Ministerial Group

</AI17>

<AI18>

5.9 Ffos-y-Fran opencast coalmine

(Pages 339 - 342)

Attached Documents:
Follow up letter from the Chair to the Minister for Climate Change in relation to the Ffos y Fran opencast coal mine
Response from the Minister for Climate Change to the Chair in relation to Ffos-y-Fran opencast coalmine

</AI18>

<AI19>

5.10 Performance of Dwr Cymru Welsh Water

(Pages 343 - 347)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Senior Director of Ofwat to the Chair in relation to Ofwat's investigation into Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Response from the Minister of Climate Change to the Committee's report: Report on performance of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

</AI19>

<AI20>

6 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) and (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of today's meeting

(14.00)

</AI20>

<AI21>

Private meeting (14.00-15.00)

</AI21>

<AI22>

7 Consideration of evidence received under items 2, 3 and 4

</AI22>

<AI23>

8 Consideration of draft report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Automated Vehicles Bill

(Page 348)

Attached Documents:
Draft report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Automated Vehicles Bill

</AI23>

<AI24>

9 Consideration of draft report on the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales - 2022-23

(Page 349)

Attached Documents:
Draft report on the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales - 2022-23

</AI24>

<AI25>

10 Consideration of the Committee's forward work programme - Summer 2024

(Page 350)

Attached Documents:
Forward work programme

</AI25>

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