Agenda and minutes

Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee (Hybrid) - Thursday, 29 January 2026 09.30

Venue: Committee Room 2 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Robert Donovan

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 29/01/2026 - Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee

Items
Expected timing	No.	Item
09.30	1.	Introductions, apologies, substitutions, and declarations of interest View the background to item 1. Minutes: 1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. 1.2 Apologies were received from Samuel Kurts MS, with Tom Giffard MS present as a substitute. 1.3 Hannah Blythyn MS sent apologies for Items 1 and 2, and joined the meeting during Item 3. 1.4 Under SO 17.24A, Tom Giffard MS and Luke Fletcher MS declared an interest at the start of the meeting in relation to Item 3.
09.30 - 10.30	2.	Inward investment: Panel 5 View the background to item 2. Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government Russell Roberts, Deputy Director – Trade and Inward Investment, Welsh Government Heledd Owen, Deputy Director – Marketing Tourism and Business, Welsh Government Supporting documents: Evidence paper - Welsh Government , item 2. PDF 210 KB Minutes: 2.1 The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Russell Roberts and Heledd Owen.
10.40 - 11.40	3.	Future of Welsh Steel View the background to item 3. Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government Áine Gawthorpe, Deputy Director, Industrial Transformation and Foundational Economy, Welsh Government Neil Surman, Deputy Director - Skills, Welsh Government Supporting documents: Evidence paper - Welsh Government , item 3. PDF 164 KB Engagement report , item 3. PDF 383 KB Minutes: 3.1 The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Áine Gawthorpe and Neil Surman.
11.50 - 12.20	4.	Local Growth Fund View the background to item 4. Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government Liz Lalley, Director - Economic Strategy and Green Growth, Welsh Government Thomas Smithson, Deputy Director - Economic Strategy and Regulation, Welsh Government Minutes: 4.1 The Committee heard evidence from Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Welsh Government, accompanied by officials Liz Lalley and Thomas Smithson.
12.20	5.	Papers to note View the background to item 5. Minutes: 5.1 The Committee noted the papers.
	5.1	Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report: Digging the Dirt: Improving Wales’ Soil Health View the background to item 5.1 Supporting documents: Welsh Government response - 16 January 2026 , item 5.1 PDF 405 KB
	5.2	Inter-Institutional Relations Agreement View the background to item 5.2 Supporting documents: Publication of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) - Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 19 January 2026 , item 5.2 PDF 189 KB Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs to the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee - 20 January 2026 , item 5.2 PDF 192 KB
	5.3	Inward Investment View the background to item 5.3 Supporting documents: Written evidence from Industrial Communities Alliance - 20 January 2026 , item 5.3 PDF 146 KB Written evidence from Professor Riccardo Crescenzi, London School of Economics - 21 January 2026 , item 5.3 PDF 90 KB
	5.4	Timetables for Bill scrutiny View the background to item 5.4 Supporting documents: Letter from the Llywydd, and Chair of the Business Committee - 21 January 2026 , item 5.4 PDF 95 KB
	5.5	Holyhead Port closure View the background to item 5.5 Supporting documents: Letter from the Chair to the UK and Irish Road Haulage Associations - 21 January 2026 , item 5.5 PDF 131 KB Letter from the Chair to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales - 21 January 2026 , item 5.5 PDF 131 KB
	5.6	Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) View the background to item 5.6 Supporting documents: Response letter from the Secretary of State for Transport, UK Government - 21 January 2026 , item 5.6 PDF 136 KB
	5.7	Banning peat compost View the background to item 5.7 Supporting documents: Letter from the Chair of the Economy, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, House of Commons - 21 January 2026 , item 5.7 PDF 52 KB
	5.8	Development of Tourism and Regulation of Visitor Accommodation (Wales) Bill View the background to item 5.8 Supporting documents: Letter from the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language - 23 January 2026 , item 5.8 PDF 141 KB
12.20	6.	Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting View the background to item 6. Minutes: 6.1 The Committee agreed the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting.
12.20 - 12.30	7.	Inward Investment: Consideration of evidence View the background to item 7. Minutes: 7.1 The Committee considered the evidence received under item 2.
12.30 - 12.40	8.	Future of Welsh Steel: Consideration of evidence View the background to item 8. Minutes: 8.1 The Committee considered the evidence received under item 3.
12.40 - 12.50	9.	Local Growth Fund: Consideration of evidence View the background to item 9. Minutes: 9.1 The Committee considered the evidence received under item 4.
12.50 - 13.00	10.	Legacy report discussion View the background to item 10. Minutes: 10.1 The Committee agreed to discuss this item outside of the Committee meeting and return to it at a future date.

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