Meetings

5.2.1 The paper was noted by the Committee.

NDM5644 William Graham (South Wales East)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Enterprise and Business Committee on its Inquiry into The Welsh Government's Approach to the Promotion of Trade and Inward Investment, which was laid in the Table Office on 10 October 2014.

Supporting Documents

Enterprise and Business Committee's Report

Welsh Government’s Response

The item started at 15.54

NDM5644 William Graham (South Wales East)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Enterprise and Business Committee on its Inquiry into The Welsh Government's Approach to the Promotion of Trade and Inward Investment, which was laid in the Table Office on 10 October 2014.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Draft report for the inquiry into the Welsh Government’s approach to the promotion of trade and inward investment.

The Committee discussed the draft report.

Witnesses:

Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, The First Minister of Wales

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

James Price, Director General, Economy, Science and Transport

Gary Davies, Head of European and External Affairs Division

5.1 The Committee took evidence from the Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, The First Minister of Wales and the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Welsh Government. They were supported by James Price, Director General, Economy, Science and Transport, Welsh Government and Gary Davies, Head of European and External Affairs Division, Welsh Government.

5.2  The Minister agreed to provide:

-     Note on the overall numbers of the permanent UKTI staff based in Wales and how these numbers compare with the situation in Scotland;

-     Note on the proportion of foreign owned companies operating in Wales that receive direct aftercare support from the Welsh Government as compared to those that receive support from UKTI. Also, an indication of those companies who are engaged with on a regular basis, i.e. at least once every six months, and those that are less regularly engaged with;

-     Note on the  Welsh Government’s intended approach to recording and publishing  inward investment figures in light of changes in the definition used by UKTI (i.e. 10 per cent foreign ownership, rather than 50 per cent) and how the threshold of percentage of foreign ownership used by UKTI compares with other European nations.

2.1 As part of the Inquiry into the Welsh Government's approach to the promotion of trade and inward investment the Committee watched the filmed interviews with the SME entrepreneurs.  

5.1 The Committee considered this Item in private.

Witnesses:

·         Professor Gareth Morgan, Life Sciences Sector Panel Chair

·         David Williams, Energy & Environment Sector Panel Chair

Supporting documents:

Private paper (Members’ Brief for Item 5)

5.1 The Committee took evidence from Professor Gareth Morgan, Life Sciences Sector Panel Chair and David Williams, Energy & Environment Sector Panel Chair.

Witness:

·         Ed Payne, Head of Strategy, Scottish Development International

Supporting documents:

Private paper (Members’ Brief for Items 2 and 3)

EBC(4)-04-14(p.1) – Evidence from Scottish Development International

2.1 The Committee took evidence from Ed Payne, Head of Strategy, Scottish Development International.

Witnesses:

·         Guy Warrington, Director, English Regions, UKTI

·         Gareth John, Senior Investment Adviser, UKTI

Supporting documents:

EBC(4)-04-14(p.2) – Evidence from UKTI

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Guy Warrington, Director, English Regions and Gareth John, Senior Investment Adviser,  both from UKTI.

3.2 Gareth John agreed to provide the breakdown of the information (on schools, house prices etc) supplied by partners which forms the database used as the basis for the “triage” process of selecting the areas recommended to businesses as attracting opportunities for investment and the explanation of algorism used for this process.

Witness:

·         Roger Pride, Managing Director, Cardiff office, Heavenly

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Roger Pride, Managing Director, Cardiff Office, Heavenly.

Witnesses:

·         Iestyn Davies, Head of External Affairs, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

·         Joshua Miles, Policy Advisor, FSB

Supporting documents:

Private paper (Members’ Brief for Items 2 and 3)

EBC(4)-03-14(p.1) – Evidence from FSB

2.1 The Committee took evidence from Iestyn Davies, Head of External Affairs and Joshua Miles, Policy Advisor, both representing Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Witnesses:

·         Geoff Harding, Expert in International Trade Support

·         David Long, Expert in International Trade Support

Supporting documents:

EBC(4)-02-14(p.3) - Evidence from David Long and Geoff Harding

3.1 The Committee took evidence from David Long and Geoff Harding, International Trade Support Consultants.

Witness:

·         Graham Morgan, Director, South Wales Chamber of Commerce

Supporting documents:

EBC(4)-02-14(p.2) – Evidence from Graham Morgan, Director, South Wales Chamber of Commerce

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Graham Morgan, Director, South Wales Chamber of Commerce.

Witnesses:

·         Professor Max Munday, Director of Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff University

Supporting documents:

Private paper (Members’ Brief for Items 2, 3 and 4)

EBC(4)-02-14(p.1) - Evidence from Dr Andrew Crawley & Professor Max Munday

2.1 The Committee took evidence from Professor Max Munday, Director of Welsh Economy Research Unit, Cardiff University.