Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee


Meeting Venue:

Committee room 4 - Tŷ Hywel

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 25 February 2026

Meeting time: 09.30 - 11.49
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15910


Hybrid

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Attendance

Category

Names

Members of the Senedd:

Andrew RT Davies MS (Chair)

Mick Antoniw MS (In place of Jenny Rathbone MS)

Hannah Blythyn MS

Alun Davies MS

Luke Fletcher MS

Samuel Kurtz MS

Witnesses:

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

Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership

Liz Lalley, Welsh Government

Jo Salway, Welsh Government

Committee Staff:

Rachael Davies (Second Clerk)

Nicole Haylor-Mott (Deputy Clerk)

Lucy Yarham (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 Jenny Rathbone MS, with Mick Antoniw MS present as a substitute.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       General Ministerial Scrutiny: Economy and Skills

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by official Liz Lalley.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3       General Ministerial Scrutiny: Economy and Skills

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Jack Sargeant MS, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, Welsh Government, and Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Liz Lalley and Jo Salway.

3.2    The Cabinet Secretary committed to writing to the Committee with some further information on several points raised in the course of the meeting.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4       Papers to note

4.1    The Committee noted the papers.

</AI4>

<AI5>

4.1   The Chemicals (Health and Safety) (Amendment, Consequential and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026

</AI5>

<AI6>

4.2   Follow-up from the Committee meeting held on 26 November 2025: Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2026-27

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.3   Learning and Work Institute report: A Work, Health and Skills Plan for Wales

</AI7>

<AI8>

4.4   Follow-up from the Committee meeting held on 21 January 2026: Inward Investment

</AI8>

<AI9>

4.5   UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)

</AI9>

<AI10>

4.6   Holyhead Port closure

</AI10>

<AI11>

4.7   Local Growth Fund

</AI11>

<AI12>

4.8   Report on the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: The Welsh Government Perspective

</AI12>

<AI13>

4.9   Follow-up from the Committee meeting held on 29 January 2026

</AI13>

<AI14>

4.10 Inward Investment

</AI14>

<AI15>

4.11 Farming Connect Procurement

</AI15>

<AI16>

5       Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting and under Standing Order 17.42(vi) for item 1 of the meeting on 5 March 2026.

5.1    The Committee agreed the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting, and from item 1 of the meeting on 5 March 2026.

</AI16>

<AI17>

6       General Ministerial Scrutiny: Consideration of evidence

6.1    The Committee considered the evidence received under items 2 and 3 and agreed to seek further clarification from the Cabinet Secretary in relation to the figures for apprenticeships.

</AI17>

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