Meetings

Dr Hywel Ceri Jones, EU Funding Ambassador

Dr Grahame Guilford, EU Funding Ambassador

3.1 Hywel Ceri Jones and Grahame Guilford answered questions from Members of the Committee.

5.1.1 The paper was noted by the Committee

6.3.1 The paper was noted by the Committee.

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance and Government Business

Rob Halford, Head of Planning and Strategy, Welsh Government

Geraint Green, Head of Business and Innovation, Welsh Government

Steven Davies, Head of Innovative Finance, Welsh Government

2.1 Jenny Rathbone AM declared that she is the Chair of the European Programme Monitoring Committee.

2.2 The Minister and her officials answered questions from Members of the Committee.

2.3 The Minister agreed to provide the following:

• Any overall data on organisation participation in the first round of calls under the various EU funding programmes (Erasmus+, Creative Europe, COSME etc).

·         An update on the revised pipeline of Welsh schemes with potential to access financing through the European Fund for Strategic Investment.

Grahame Guilford, EU Funding Ambassador

Hywel Ceri Jones, EU Funding Ambassador

Gaynor Richards, EU Funding Ambassador

3.1 Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM declared that he is Chancellor and Chair of Bangor University, an institution that has received European funds and expects to receive further European funds. Bangor University has also recently received a substantial loan from the European Investment Bank.

3.2 The EU Funding Ambassadors answered questions from Members of the Committee.

NDM5563 William Graham (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Enterprise and Business Committee on its Inquiry into EU funding opportunities 2014-2020, which was laid in the Table Office on 16 July 2014.

Note: The response by the Welsh Government was laid on 10 September 2014.

Supporting Documents

Enterprise and Business Committee’s Report

Welsh Government’s Response

The item started at 15:08

NDM5563 William Graham (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Enterprise and Business Committee on its Inquiry into EU funding opportunities 2014-2020, which was laid in the Table Office on 16 July 2014.

The Motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

5.1 The Committee considered the draft report.

Witness:

Professor Colin Riordan, President and Vice Chancellor, Cardiff University

2.1. The Committee took evidence from Professor Colin Riordan, President and Vice Chancellor, Cardiff University.

Witnesses:

Dr Andrew Potter, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University

Martin Evans, previous chair of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Cymru Wales and Board member of CILT

3.1. The Committee took evidence from Dr Andrew Potter, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University and Martin Evans, previous chair of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Cymru Wales and Board member of CILT.

Witnesses:

Ian Davies, Route Manager – Irish Sea South, Stena Line Limited

Alec Don, Chief Executive, Port of Milford Haven

Callum Couper, Port Manager, Associated British Ports South Wales

2.1. The Committee took evidence from Ian Davies, Route Manager – Irish Sea South, Stena Line Limited; Alec Don, Chief Executive and Mark Andrews, Corporate Affairs Director, both representing Port of Milford Haven and Callum Couper, Port Manager, Associated British Ports South Wales.

Witnesses:

Ceri Jones, Department of Research and Innovation, Swansea University

Wyn Prichard, Wales Director, Construction Industry Training Board

Chris Doherty, HR Leader, GE Aviation Wales

4.1 The Committee took evidence from Ceri Jones, Department of Research and Innovation, Swansea University and Wyn Prichard, Wales Director, Construction Industry Training Board.

Witnesses:

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance

Damien O'Brien, Chief Executive, WEFO

Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser

Jane McMillan, Head of Programme Management, European Structural Fund

7.1 The Committee took evidence from Minister for Finance Jane Hutt AM. The Minister was supported Damien O'Brien, Chief Executive, WEFO; Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser and Jane McMillan, Head of Programme Management, European Structural Fund.

7.2 The Minister agreed to provide:

- Additional information on the performance of the European Investment Bank in Wales.

Witnesses:

Anne Howells, European Development Officer, University of Aberystwyth

Dr Liz Mills, Independent Policy Analyst

Dr. David Llewellyn, Independent consultant

6.1. The Committee took evidence from Anne Howells, European Development Officer, University of Aberystwyth; Dr Liz Mills, Independent Policy Analyst and Dr. David Llewellyn, Independent consultant.

Witnesses:

Elaina Gray, Business Development Director, Chapter Arts Centre

Gethin Scourfield, Producer, Fiction Factory Films

Ron Jones, Executive Chairman, Tinopolis

3.1. The Committee took evidence from Elaina Gray, Business Development Director, Chapter Arts Centre and Gethin Scourfield, Producer, Fiction Factory Films.

Witnesses:

Ruth Sinclair-Jones, Director, UK National Agency, Erasmus+, British Council

Natasha Hale, Head of Sectors, MEDIA Antennae UK

2.1. The Committee took evidence from Ruth Sinclair-Jones, Director, UK National Agency, Erasmus+, British Council and Natasha Hale, Head of Sectors, MEDIA Antennae UK.

2.2. The British Council Agreed to provide detailed information on the performance of organisations from Wales in the Lifelong Learning Programme and Youth Programmes.

2.3 MEDIA Antennae UK agreed to provide data on Welsh participation in media programme and the support they provided (events etc.)

Witnesses:

Sharron Lusher, Principal, Pembrokeshire College

Dr Greg Walker, Deputy Chief Executive, ColegauCymru

Sharon Thomas, Executive Director, ECTARC

Jessica Blair, Policy Analyst, Institute of Welsh Affairs

3.1. The Committee took evidence from Dr Greg Walker, Deputy Chief Executive, ColegauCymru; Sharron Lusher, Principal, Pembrokeshire College; Sharon Thomas, Executive Director, ECTARC and Jessica Blair, Policy Analyst, Institute of Welsh Affairs.

Witness:

Prof. Russell Deacon, Lecturer in History and Politics, Coleg Gwent

2.1. The Committee took evidence from Professor Russell Deacon, Lecturer in History and Politics, Coleg Gwent.

Witnesses:

Filippo Compagni, European Policy and External Funding Manager,

European and External Funding Unit, Powys County Council

Barbara Burchell, Principal European Project Development Officer, Community Development Service, Conwy County Borough Council

Helen Morgan, Senior Manager, West Wales European Centre, Carmarthenshire County Council      

5.1. The Committee took evidence from Filippo Compagni, Filippo Compagni, European Policy and External Funding Manager, European and External Funding Unit, Powys County Council; Barbara Burchell, Principal European Project Development Officer, Community Development Service, Conwy County Borough Council; Helen Morgan, Senior Manager, West Wales European Centre, Carmarthenshire County Council.

Witnesses:

Simon Stewart, Senior Lecturer, Glyndwr University and Connect Cymru Committee Member

Helen Wales, Director, UNA Exchange

4.1. The Committee took evidence from Simon Stewart, Senior Lecturer, Glyndwr University and Connect Cymru Committee Member and Helen Wales, Director, UNA Exchange.

7.1 As part of its Inquiry into EU funding opportunities 2014-2020 the Committee participated in an engagement event with Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University (the event took place at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cyncoed Campus).