Meetings

Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

Roger Lewis, Chairman, Cardiff Capital Region

Steve Phillips, Secretary to the Board, Swansea Bay City Region

3.1 The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Steve Phillips, Professor Kevin Morgan and James Price answered questions from Members of the Committee.

3.2 Professor Kevin Morgan agreed to send a copy of his report titled “Good Food for All” when it’s completed.

3.3 Professor Kevin Morgan agreed to send information on the budget of Stuttgart City Region.

Councillor Phil Bale, Leader of Cardiff Council

2.1 Phil Bale and Paul Orders answered questions from Members of the Committee.

5.1.1 The paper was noted by the Committee.

Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport
James Price, Director General, Economy, Science and Transport      

Tracey Burke, Director, Strategy

The Committee took evidence from the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, James Price and Tracey Burke.

Roger Lewis, Chair, Cardiff Capital Region

Steve Phillips, Adviser, Swansea Bay City Region

The Committee took evidence from Roger Lewis and Steve Phillips.

Gareth Jenkins, Chair of Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone

John Idris Jones, Chair of Snowdonia Enterprise Zone

The Committee took evidence from John Idris Jones and Gareth Jenkins.

Witnesses:

Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Welsh Government

James Price, Director General Economy, Science and Transport , Welsh Government

Tracey Burke, Director, Strategy, Welsh Government

Lord Bourne, Chair of the Collective Enterprise Zone Boards

4.1 The Committee took evidence from Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Welsh Government Edwina Hart AM. The Minister was supported by Tracey Burke, Director, Strategy. Lord Bourne, Chair of the Collective Enterprise Zone Boards also attended the session.

4.2 The Minister agreed to provide:

- a note (and regular future updates) on the progress of providing superfast broadband to enterprise zones under the Superfast Cymru programme;

- A note on how the provision of superfast broadband will be addressed (and the broadband technologies to be used) in the areas unsuitable for the Superfast Cymru programme;

- the figures on the number of businesses covered by the longitudinal long-term survey and what proportion of the total number of businesses on enterprise zones these figures constituted;

- a Note on the number of business rate support applications approved by zone and, once finalised, the information on the proportion of the committed £20 million budget allocation actually spent on business rate support reflecting the take-up rates;

- as part of the regular update, an analysis and a breakdown of how individual enterprise zones are performing in terms of jobs created, assisted and safeguarded and other relevant KPIs (in as far as commercial sensitivities allow it).

NDM5429 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Finance Committee on its inquiry into Enterprise Zones, which was laid in the Table Office on 17 December 2013.

Note: The Welsh Government's response to the report was laid in the Table Office on 5 February 2014.

Supporting Documents

Finance Committee’s Report

Welsh Government’s Response

The item started at 15.27

NDM5429 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Finance Committee on its inquiry into Enterprise Zones, which was laid in the Table Office on 17 December 2013.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

FIN(4)-01-14 (paper 2)

7.1 The paper was noted.

FIN(4)-22-13 (paper 2)

6.1 The report was considered and a number of amendments were suggested. Members agreed to consider the changes out of Committee.

6.2 Members noted the intention to publish the report before Chrtistmas and agreed to request a plenary debate.

FIN(4)-13-13 paper 1 – Anglesey Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-13-13 paper 2 – Haven Waterway Zone

2.1 The Committee noted the papers.

FIN(4)-11-13 Paper 4

Edwina Hart AM, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

Tracey Burke, Director, Strategy

Rob Hunter - Director, Finance and Performance

8.1 The Minister for Economy, Science and Transport and her officials responded to questions from Committee. They agreed to provide the following information:

• Tracey Burke agreed to provide the publication date of Professor Dylan Jones-Evans’ second stage of his review on the availability of financing for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Wales.
• The Minister for Economy, Science and Technology agreed to provide a list of details on supply chain activity to date.

8.2 The Committee agreed to re-visit the topic of Enterprise Zones in Wales sometime in the future.

9.1 The Committee considered the evidence.

7.1 The Committee agreed to hold this item in private.

7.2 The Committee discussed the visits to Anglesey and Haven Waterway Enterprise Zones.

7.3 The Chair and Clerk agreed to provide a joint note on the Committee visit to Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone.

7.4 Ieuan Wyn-Jones will provide a note on the visit he undertook to Anglesey Enterprise Zone.

7.5 These notes will be made public as papers to note at a future meeting of the Finance Committee.

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 1 eCube Solutions

Mike Corne - Partner & Commercial Director

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 2 Mustang Marine

Lucas Boissevain - Finance Director

2.1 The Chair welcomed Mike Corne, Partner and Commercial Director at eCube Solutions, and Lucas Boissevain, Finance Director at Mustang Marine.

2.2 The witnesses responded to questions from Members of the Committee.

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 4

Nick Bourne, Chair of the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 5

Gareth Jenkins, Chair of the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 6 Cardiff Central Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 7 Snowdonia Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 8 Deeside Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 9 St Athan/Cardiff Airport Enterprise Zone

FIN(4)-10-13 Paper 10 Anglesey Enterprise Zone

4.1 The Chair welcomed Nick Bourne, Chair of the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone and Gareth Jenkins, Chair of the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone.   

4.2 The witnesses responded to questions from members of the Committee.

4.1 The Committee agreed the draft terms of reference and to undertake a visit to St Athans Enterprise Zone on 22 May.

4.2 The Committee also expressed an interest in visiting other Enterprise Zones in Wales in the near future.

4.3 The Committee asked Research Service to provide a comparative study paper on previously and recently established Enterprise Zones.

4.4 The clerking team agreed to provide the transcript of the previous session on Enterprise Zones undertaken by the Enterprise and Business Committee on 29 November 2012.