Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 5 - Tŷ Hywel

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Thursday, 23 January 2025

Meeting time: 09.30 - 13.29
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/14787

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Andrew RT Davies MS (Chair) Hefin David MS Luke Fletcher MS Samuel Kurtz MS Jenny Rathbone MS
Witnesses:	Harriet Barnes, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Nerys Bourne, Careers Wales Jamie Cater, Make UK Rhian Edwards, Medr (Commission for Tertiary Education and Research) Amie Field, Careers Wales Sharron Lusher, Pembrokeshire College Lisa Mytton, National Training Federation for Wales Grant Santos, Educ8 Dr Barry Walters, Colleges Wales
Committee Staff:	Robert Donovan (Clerk) Nicole Haylor-Mott (Deputy Clerk) Lucy Morgan (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1     The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.2     Apologies were received from Hannah Blythyn MS.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Papers to note

2.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1 Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Data (Use and Access) Bill

</AI3>

<AI4>

3 Apprenticeship pathways - Panel 1 - Strategic Overview

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from Rhian Edwards (Medr),Harriet Barnes (Medr), and Sharron Lusher (Former Chair, Vocational Qualifications Review Board).

</AI4>

<AI5>

4 Apprenticeship pathways - Panel 2 - Colleges and Apprenticeship Providers

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from Dr Barry Walters (Pembrokeshire College and Colegau Cymru), Lisa Mytton (National Training Federation for Wales), and Grant Santos (Educ8 Training Group).

</AI5>

<AI6>

5 Apprenticeship pathways - Panel 3 - Information around Apprenticeships

5.1     The Committee heard evidence from Nerys Bourne (Careers Wales), Amie Field (Careers Wales), and Jamie Cater (Make UK).

</AI6>

<AI7>

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

6.1     The Committee agreed the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting.

</AI7>

<AI8>

7 Apprenticeship pathways: Consideration of evidence

7.1     The Committee considered the evidence received under Items 3,4 and 5.

7.2     The Committee agreed to write to three selected stakeholders for further information, following discussion of topics raised during the evidence session.

</AI8>

<AI9>

8 Green Economy - Consideration of Draft Report

8.1     The Committee agreed to delay consideration of the draft report until its next meeting, to allow for further time to fully reflect on the report.

</AI9>

<AI10>

9 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26 - Consideration of Draft Report

9.1     The Committee considered the draft report, and, following suggestion of one amendment, decided to agree the final report via correspondence.

</AI10>

<AI11>

10 UK-EU implementation review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement - Briefing

10.1   The Committee discussed the recommended cross-committee rapporteur approach to the work on the UK-EU implementation review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and agreed to move forward with the suggested next steps.

</AI11>

<AI12>

11 Holyhead Port Storm Damage and Closure: consideration of the scoping paper

11.1   The Committee agreed the scoping paper, and suggested the inclusion of one further witness during the planned oral evidence session.

</AI12>

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