Agenda - Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 3 Senedd and video

Conference via Zoom

Meeting date: 18 September 2025

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 (09.30-12.00)

</AI2>

<AI3>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

(09.30)

</AI3>

<AI4>

2 Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Welsh Local Government Association

(09.30-10.20) (Pages 1 - 29)

Jean-Francois Dulong, Senior Policy Officer (Climate Change Mitigation & adaptation) - Welsh Local Government Association

Attached Documents:
Research brief - Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill
Paper - Welsh Local Government Association

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break (10.20-10.30)

</AI5>

<AI6>

3 Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs

(10.30-12.00)

Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs

Naomi Matthiessen, Bill Senior Responsible Owner and Policy lead for Governance and Principles, Deputy Director, Landscapes, Nature and Forestry Division - Welsh Government

Alice Teague, Deputy Director, Marine and Biodiversity Division, Policy lead for Biodiversity - Welsh Government

Dorian Brunt, Lead Lawyer, Legal Services, Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill Lead Lawyer - Welsh Government

Joel Scoberg-Evans, Lawyer, Legal Services, Lead Lawyer for the Biodiversity provisions - Welsh Government

</AI6>

<AI7>

4 Papers to note (12.00)

</AI7>

<AI8>

4.1 Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill

(Pages 30 - 50)

Attached Documents:
Response from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change to the Chair in relation to the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill
Supplementary written evidence from Green Alliance in relation to the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill
Supplementary written evidence from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to the Chair in relation to the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets (Wales) Bill

</AI8>

<AI9>

4.2 Bus Services (Wales) Bill

(Pages 51 - 71)

Attached Documents:
Letter from Newport bus to the Chair in relation to the Committee's Bus Services (Wales) Bill Stage 1 report
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales in relation to the Committee's Stage 1 report on the Bus Services (Wales) Bill
Response from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to the Chair in relation to the Committee's report: Bus Services (Wales) Bill: Stage 1 report

</AI9>

<AI10>

4.3 Deposit Return Scheme

(Pages 72 - 77)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme
Response from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair in relation to the Deposit Return Scheme

</AI10>

<AI11>

4.4 Licensing of new coal mines

(Pages 78 - 102)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Coal Action Network to the Chair in relation to the licensing of new coal mines

</AI11>

<AI12>

4.5 Restoration of opencast mining sites

(Pages 103 - 105)

Attached Documents:
Response from the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales to the Chair in relation to the Investigation into Allegations of Illegal Toxic Waste Disposal at Ffos-y-Fran

</AI12>

<AI13>

4.6 Legislative Consent: Planning and Infrastructure Bill

(Pages 106 - 108)

Attached Documents:
Response from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning in relation to the Committee's report on the Legislative Consent Memorandums for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning to the Chair in relation to the Legislative Consent Memorandums for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

</AI13>

<AI14>

4.7 Renewable energy developments in Wales

(Pages 109 - 119)

Attached Documents:
Letter from Matthew Davies to the Chair in relation to renewable energy developments in Wales
Follow up letter from Matthew Davies to the Chair in relation to renewable energy developments in Wales

</AI14>

<AI15>

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

(12.00)

</AI15>

<AI16>

Lunch break (12.00-12.40)

</AI16>

<AI17>

Private meeting (12.40-13.40)

</AI17>

<AI18>

6 Consideration of key issues arising from Stage 1 scrutiny of the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill

(Pages 120 - 185)

Attached Documents:
Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill: Key issues

</AI18>

<AI19>

7 Consideration of the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum No.3 and No.4 on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

(Pages 186 - 195)

Attached Documents:
Legal note on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum No.3 on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
Legal note on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum No.4 on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill

</AI19>

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