Agenda - Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 4 Tŷ Hywel

and video Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: 3 October 2024

Meeting time: 09.30
For further information contact:

Marc Wyn Jones

Committee Clerk

0300 200 6565

SeneddClimate@senedd.wales

Hybrid

------

<AI1>

Private pre-meeting (09.15-09.30)

</AI1>

<AI2>

Public meeting (09.30-12.20)

</AI2>

<AI3>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

(09.30)

</AI3>

<AI4>

2 Halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030 - evidence session with public authorities

(09.30-10.30) (Pages 1 - 45)

Steve Wilson, Managing Director for Wastewater Services - Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water

Rhys Owen, Head of Conservation, Woodland and Agriculture - Eryri National Park Authority, Tirweddau Cymru/Landscapes Wales

Gwyn Teague, Team Manager Natural Environment - Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Rebecca Sharp, Countryside and Wildlife Team Leader - Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Attached Documents:
Research brief - Biodiversity inquiry: halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030
Paper - Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Paper - Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales
Paper - Welsh Local Government Association

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break (10.30-10.40)

</AI5>

<AI6>

3 Halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030 - evidence session with Natural Resources Wales

(10.40-11.40) (Pages 46 - 55)

Ceri Davies, Executive Director of Evidence, Policy and Permitting - Natural Resources Wales

Ruth Jenkins, Head of Natural Resource Management Policy - Natural Resources Wales

Huwel Manley, Head of Operations - Natural Resources Wales

Attached Documents:
Paper - Natural Resources Wales

</AI6>

<AI7>

Break (11.40-11.50)

</AI7>

<AI8>

4 Scrutiny of Natural Resources on topical issues

(11.50-12.20) (Pages 56 - 69)

Sian Williams, Head of Operations - Natural Resources Wales

Nadia De Longhi, Head of Regulation & Permitting - Natural Resources Wales

Attached Documents:
Research brief - Scrutiny of Natural Resources on topical issues
Paper - Natural Resources Wales

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 Papers to note (12.20)

</AI9>

<AI10>

5.1 The UK/European Forest Institute: Host Country Agreement

(Pages 70 - 73)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs in relation to the UK/European Forest Institute: Host Country Agreement
Response from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair in relation to the UK/European Forest Institute: Host Country Agreement

</AI10>

<AI11>

5.2 Scrutiny of Natural Resources Wales

(Pages 74 - 82)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Petitions Committee to the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales in relation to the visitor centre at Ynyslas National Nature Reserve
Response from the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales to the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to the visitor centre at Ynyslas National Nature Reserve
Letter from CILIP Cymru Wales to the Welsh Government in relation to Natural Resources Wales Library and Information Services
Letter from the Clerk of the Petitions Committee to the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales in relation to the closure the Bwlch Nant yr Arian, Coed y Brenin & Ynyslas visitor centres

</AI11>

<AI12>

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

(Pages 83 - 85)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee and from the Chair of the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee to the Llywydd, and Chair of the Business Committee in relation to the joint debate on Committee reports regarding the Sustainable Farming Scheme and Farming Connect

</AI12>

<AI13>

5.4 The Windsor Framework (Retail Movement Scheme: Plant and Animal Health) Regulations 2024

(Pages 86 - 87)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair in relation to the Windsor Framework (Retail Movement Scheme: Plant and Animal Health) Regulations 2024

</AI13>

<AI14>

5.5 P-06-1395 Halt significant new development on the Gwent Levels SSSIs

(Page 88)

Letter from the Chair of the Petitions Committee to the Chair in relation to Petition P-06-1395 Halt significant new development on the Gwent Levels SSSIs

Attached Documents:
Response from the Chair to the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to Petition P-06-1395 Halt significant new development on the Gwent Levels SSSIs

</AI14>

<AI15>

5.6 Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(Page 89)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee in relation to the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

</AI15>

<AI16>

5.7 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25

(Pages 90 - 112)

Attached Documents:
Response from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to recommendation 16 from the Committee's report: Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25
Response from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to recommendations 9 and 13 from the Committee's report: Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25
Response from the Welsh Government to the Cross Party Group on the Active Travel Act’s Review of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013
Response from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to recommendation 21 from the Committee's report: Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25

</AI16>

<AI17>

5.8 Restoration of opencast mining sites

(Pages 113 - 130)

Attached Documents:
Response from the leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to the Committee's report: Restoration of opencast mining sites
Response from the Welsh Government to the Committee's report: Restoration of opencast mining sites

</AI17>

<AI18>

5.9 Legislative Consent: Water (Special Measures) Bill

(Pages 131 - 132)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair in relation to the UK Water (Special Measures) Bill

</AI18>

<AI19>

5.10 General scrutiny of the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs

(Pages 133 - 143)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair following the 26 June 2024 Ministerial Scrutiny session

</AI19>

<AI20>

5.11 Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024

(Page 144)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to the Chair in relation to the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024

</AI20>

<AI21>

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

(12.20)

</AI21>

<AI22>

Private meeting (12.20-13.00)

</AI22>

<AI23>

7 Consideration of evidence received under items 2 and 3

</AI23>

<AI24>

8 Consideration of evidence received under item 4

</AI24>

<AI25>

9 Consideration of draft letter to the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport and North Wales in relation to transport

(Pages 145 - 149)

Attached Documents:
Draft letter to the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport and North Wales in relation to transport

</AI25>

<AI26>

10 Consideration of the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

(Pages 150 - 161)

Attached Documents:
Legal note on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill
Policy Note - Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

</AI26>

<AI27>

11 Consideration of the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill

(Pages 162 - 168)

Attached Documents:
Legal note on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Great British Energy Bill

</AI27>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE F_PR

FIELD_SUMMARY

FIELD_LABELLED_ATTACHMENTS

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE F_PR

FIELD_LABELLED_ATTACHMENTS

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE F_PR

FIELD_SUMMARY

FIELD_LABELLED_ATTACHMENTS

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_FOOTNOTE F_PR

FIELD_LABELLED_ATTACHMENTS

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>