Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 5 - Tŷ Hywel

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Meeting time: 09.32 - 12.18
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/13862

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 Jenny Rathbone MS
Witnesses:	Giles Thorley, Development Bank of Wales Gareth Bullock, Development Bank of Wales Rhian Elston, Development Bank of Wales Mike Owen, Development Bank of Wales Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language Jo Banks, Welsh Government Duncan Hamer, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Rob Donovan, Clerk Lara Date, Second Clerk Evan Jones, Deputy Clerk Aled Evans, Legal Adviser Ben Stokes, Researcher Gareth Thomas, Researcher

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Papers to note

2.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI2>

<AI3>

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

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2 The Biocidal Products (Health and Safety) (Amendment and Transitional Provisions etc.) Regulations 2024

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3 Drainage Districts

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4 Future of Welsh Steel - Tata Steel UK

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5 General Ministerial Scrutiny session - 6 March 2024: Follow up

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.6 Hybu Cig Cymru

</AI8>

<AI9>

2.7 Welsh Government Draft Budget

</AI9>

<AI10>

2.8 Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Follow up to evidence session on 21 March 2024

</AI10>

<AI11>

2.9 The Official Controls (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2024

</AI11>

<AI12>

3 Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 4 - Development Bank of Wales

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the development bank of Wales.

3.2     The Committee agreed to write to the panel with the questions not reached on equity investments:

- What guidance is given to businesses in order for them to understand everything involved with an equity investment?

- Does the Development Bank ever appoint the same Investor Director to sit on the boards of multiple companies that the Development Bank has invested in?

- What degree of control does the Development Bank have on the way an Investor Director operates and the decisions they take once appointed?

</AI12>

<AI13>

4 Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 5 - Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh language.

</AI13>

<AI14>

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 from the remainder of the meeting.

</AI14>

<AI15>

6 Consideration of evidence following the meeting

6.1     The Committee considered the evidence received.

</AI15>

<AI16>

7 Future of Welsh Steel: Key issues paper

7.1     The Committee considered the key issues paper.

</AI16>

<AI17>

8 Budget Scrutiny Process

8.1     The Committee considered the item.

</AI17>

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