Concise Minutes - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee room 3 – Senedd

and video conference via Zoom

Meeting date: Wednesday, 25 March 2026

Meeting time: 09.30 - 12.25
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/15912

Hybrid

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Attendance

Category	Names
Members of the Senedd:	Andrew RT Davies MS (Chair) Hannah Blythyn MS Alun Davies MS Luke Fletcher MS Samuel Kurtz MS Jenny Rathbone MS
Witnesses:	Russell Codling, Tata Steel UK Vladyslav Darahan, Tata Steel UK Ceri Davies, 7 Steel UK Barrie Evans, Tata Steel Laura Thomas, 7 Steel UK Ian Williams, TATA Steel
Committee Staff:	Robert Donovan (Clerk) Rachael Davies (Second Clerk) Nicole Haylor-Mott (Deputy Clerk) Sara Moran (Researcher) Gareth David Thomas (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 Alun Davies MS in relation to item 2 only.

1.3     Under SO 17.24A, Luke Fletcher MS declared an interest at the start of the meeting.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 1

2.1    The Committee heard evidence from Ian Williams (Unite), Secretary - Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot, and Barrie Evans (Community), Chair - Multi Union Committee, Tata Steel Port Talbot.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 2

3.1    The Committee heard evidence from Ceri Davies, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at 7 Steel UK, and Laura Thomas, Commercial Director at 7 Steel UK.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 The Steel Industry in Wales - Panel 3

4.1    The Committee heard evidence from Russell Codling, Director of Sales at Tata Steel UK, and Vladyslav Darahan, Head of International Trade and Compliance at Tata Steel UK.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Papers to note

5.1    The Committee noted the papers.

</AI5>

<AI6>

5.1 Inter-Institutional Relations Agreement

</AI6>

<AI7>

5.2 Follow-up from the General Ministerial Scrutiny session on Trade and Borders held on 5 March 2026

</AI7>

<AI8>

5.3 Future of Welsh Steel: Written evidence

</AI8>

<AI9>

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

</AI9>

<AI10>

7 The Steel Industry in Wales: Consideration of evidence

7.1    The Committee considered and discussed the evidence received under Items 2, 3 and 4, and agreed to write to the First Minister and Secretary of State for Wales reflecting the key points from the session.

</AI10>

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