Meetings

NDM8919 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central) 

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee on the Green Economy, laid on 14 March 2025.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 4 June 2025

The item started at 16.33

NDM8919 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central) 

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee on the Green Economy, laid on 14 March 2025.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 4 June 2025

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.  

9.1     The Committee discussed and agreed the revised draft recommendations contained within the report, and were content to move forward with publication following these changes.

10.1  The Committee began consideration of its draft report, and agreed to revisit this item at its next meeting, following amendments to the recommendations within the report.

8.1    The Committee agreed to delay consideration of the draft report until its next meeting, to allow for further time to fully reflect on the report.

7.1     The Committee considered the key issues paper. The Committee agreed to consider a draft report at a future meeting.

Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, Welsh Government

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

Rhodri Asby, Deputy Director, Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy, Welsh Government

Neil Surman, Deputy Director – Skills, Welsh Government

4.1        The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language on the green economy.

Peter Hughes, Unite Wales Regional Secretary, Unite the Union

Jane Lancastle, Assistant Secretary, Prospect - Cymru

Nisreen Mansour, Policy Officer, Wales TUC

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from Prospect and the TUC on the green economy.

4.2     Prospect agreed to provide a report to the Committee regarding the delivery of clean power and what is being done to meet the skills challenges and to provide a link to information on the WJEC’s new Sustainability in Action qualification.

David Jones, Stakeholder Manager, Blue Gem Wind

Wendy Weber, Head of the Build Environment, Pembrokeshire College

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from Pembrokeshire College and Blue Gem Wind on the green economy.

3.2     Blue Gem Wind agreed to share the findings of a lessons-learned workshop with National Resources Wales on the consenting process for the Erebus project.

Dafydd Gruffydd, Managing Director, Menter Môn

Dr Debbie Jones, Low Carbon Innovation Manager, M-Sparc

Robyn Lovelock, Growth Deal Programme Manager, Ambition North Wales

4.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the Green Economy.

4.2     Menter Môn agreed to write to the Committee to provide information on the amount of funding received from Welsh Government for improving the public procurement supply lines into North Wales schools, and to write on actions being taken to get horticulture producers to collaborate, including the level of engagement with different caterers/procurers of school food

Kate McGavin, Chief Policy and Strategy Officer, UK Infrastructure Bank

Andy Regan, Mission Manager, Sustainable Future Mission, Nesta

3.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the Green Economy.

3.2     The Committee agreed to write to the witnesses to seek responses to the questions not reached during the session.

3.3     The Committee agreed to write to the UK Infrastructure Bank regarding references that were made to Local Authority models for funding, in particularly on the Bristol City project.

James Powell, Marketing and Communications Director, Educ8

Jemma Parsons, Head of the Green Skills Academy

Matt Rees, Vice Principal – Work Based Learning and Commercial Activity, Bridgend College, representing ColegauCymru

6.1     The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the Green Economy.

Felix Milbank, Deputy Head of Policy, Federation of Small Businesses Wales (FSB)

Jessica Hooper, Director, RenewableUK Cymru

Ben Burggraaf, Chief Executive Officer, Net Zero Industry Wales

Tom Hill, Marine Energy Programme Manager, Marine Energy Wales

4.1    The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the green economy.

Sarah Evans, Director of Business Growth and Consultancy, Cwmpas

Benedict Ferguson, Co-Executive Director, Community Energy Wales

5.1    The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the green economy.

Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Dr Alison Parken, Cardiff University

Dr Jack Price, Wales Centre for Public Policy

Ned Hammond, Head of Energy and Environment, Onward UK

7.1    The Committee heard evidence from the panel on the green economy.