Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 2 – Senedd

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Meeting time: 09.31 - 11.53
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15686

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Andrew RT Davies MS (Chair) Hannah Blythyn MS Luke Fletcher MS Samuel Kurtz MS Jenny Rathbone MS
Witnesses:	Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Gian Marco Currado, Welsh Government Dr Richard Irvine, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Robert Donovan (Clerk) Rachael Davies (Second Clerk) Nicole Haylor-Mott (Deputy Clerk) Elfyn Henderson (Researcher) Nia Moss (Researcher) Madelaine Phillips (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.2 Under SO 17.24A, Andrew RT Davies MS, Samuel Kurtz MS and Huw Irranca-Davies MS declared an interest in respect of the subject matter of this Committee meeting. 

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 General Ministerial Scrutiny - Rural Affairs

2.1     The Committee heard evidence from Huw Irranca-Davies MS (Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government), supported by his officials Gian Marco Currado and Dr Richard Irvine.

2.2     The Deputy First Minister offered to write to the Committee with several follow-up pieces of information in response to a few Members questions.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Papers to note

3.1     The Committee noted the papers.

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1 Follow-up from the committee meeting held on 17 July 2025 - General Ministerial Scrutiny

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2 The Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3 Follow-up from the Committee visit to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence – 18 September 2025

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.4 Apprenticeship pathways inquiry

</AI7>

<AI8>

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

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

</AI8>

<AI9>

5 General Ministerial Scrutiny: Consideration of evidence

5.1     The Committee discussed the evidence heard under item 2, and agreed to draft some follow-up correspondence to seek further information.

</AI9>

<AI10>

6 EU-MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement

6.1     The Committee heard and considered the update on Free Trade Agreement, and agreed to draft a letter in follow-up.

</AI10>

<AI11>

7 Future of Welsh Steel: Citizen Engagement Approach Discussion

7.1     The Committee discussed and agreed the suggested approach to the citizen engagement for this work, and put forth additional ideas on work to be carried out.

</AI11>

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