Agenda - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 2 – Senedd

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: 29 January 2026

Meeting time: 09.30
For further information contact:

Robert Donovan

Committee Clerk

0300 200 6565

SeneddEconomy@senedd.wales

Hybrid<AI1>

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<AI1>

Private pre-meeting

09.15 - 09.30

 

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<AI2>

Public session

09.30 - 12.20

 

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<AI3>

1       Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest

09.30                                                                                                               

 

</AI3>

<AI4>

2       Inward investment: Panel 5

09.30 - 10.30                                                                             (Pages 1 - 38)

 

Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government

Russell Roberts, Deputy Director – Trade and Inward Investment, Welsh Government

Heledd Owen, Deputy Director – Marketing Tourism and Business, Welsh Government

 

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Evidence paper - Welsh Government

</AI4>

<AI5>

Break

10.30 - 10.40

 

</AI5>

<AI6>

3       Future of Welsh Steel

10.40 - 11.40                                                                           (Pages 39 - 86)

 

Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government

Áine Gawthorpe, Deputy Director, Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy, Welsh Government

Neil Surman, Deputy Director - Skills, Welsh Government

 

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Evidence paper - Welsh Government
Engagement report

 

</AI6>

<AI7>

Break

11.40 - 11.50

 

</AI7>

<AI8>

4       Local Growth Fund

11.50 - 12.20                                                                         (Pages 87 - 100)

 

Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government

Liz Lalley, Director - Economic Strategy and Green Growth, Welsh Government

Thomas Smithson, Deputy Director - Economic Strategy and Regulation, Welsh Government

 

Attached Documents:
Research brief

</AI8>

<AI9>

5       Papers to note

12.20                                                                                                               

 

</AI9>

<AI10>

5.1   Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report: Digging the Dirt: Improving Wales’ Soil Health

                                                                                             (Pages 101 - 113)

Attached Documents:
Welsh Government response - 16 January 2026

 

</AI10>

<AI11>

5.2   Inter-Institutional Relations Agreement

                                                                                             (Pages 114 - 115)

Attached Documents:
Publication of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) - 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 - 19 January 2026
Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - 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 - 20 January 2026

 

</AI11>

<AI12>

5.3   Inward Investment

                                                                                             (Pages 116 - 124)

Attached Documents:
Written evidence from Industrial Communities Alliance - 20 January 2026
Written evidence from Professor Riccardo Crescenzi, London School of Economics - 21 January 2026

 

</AI12>

<AI13>

5.4   Timetables for Bill scrutiny

                                                                                                         (Page 125)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Llywydd, and Chair of the Business Committee - 21 January 2026

 

</AI13>

<AI14>

5.5   Holyhead Port closure

                                                                                             (Pages 126 - 129)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair to the UK and Irish Road Haulage Associations - 21 January 2026
Letter from the Chair to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales - 21 January 2026

 

</AI14>

<AI15>

5.6   Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE)

                                                                                             (Pages 130 - 131)

Attached Documents:
Response letter from the Secretary of State for Transport, UK Government - 21 January 2026

 

</AI15>

<AI16>

5.7   Banning peat compost

                                                                                                         (Page 132)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Chair of the Economy, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, House of Commons - 21 January 2026

</AI16>

<AI17>

5.8Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill

                                                                                             (Pages 133 - 134)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language - 23 January 2026

 

</AI17>

<AI18>

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

12.20                                                                                                               

 

</AI18>

<AI19>

Private session

12.20 - 13.00

 

</AI19>

<AI20>

7       Inward Investment: Consideration of evidence

12.20 - 12.30                                                                                                  

 

</AI20>

<AI21>

8       Future of Welsh Steel: Consideration of evidence

12.30 - 12.40                                                                                                  

 

</AI21>

<AI22>

9       Local Growth Fund: Consideration of evidence

12.40 - 12.50                                                                                                  

 

</AI22>

<AI23>

10    Legacy report discussion

12.50 - 13.00                                                                       (Pages 135 - 138)

Attached Documents:
Legacy report discussion paper

</AI23>

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