The Enterprise and Business Committee undertook an inquiry into the Welsh Government’s approach to the promotion of trade and inward investment.

Terms of Reference

• How effective is the Welsh Government’s approach to the promotion of trade and inward investment?
• How well does the Welsh Government work with its UK Government partners (UK Trade and Investment, and UK Export Finance)?

Key Issues

• What is the scale of Welsh Government resource and funding that is targeted at the promotion of trade and inward investment? Is it sufficient? Does it represent value for money?
• How does the Welsh Government monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its trade and inward investment activities?
• Does the Welsh Government’s current in-house approach to encouraging trade and inward investment represent an improvement on the organisations that previously existed to perform the same functions? (i.e. the Welsh Development Agency, Wales Trade International, and latterly International Business Wales)
• How effective is the Welsh Government’s approach to investor development? (i.e. the encouragement of re-investment by existing inward investors)
• What are the main barriers faced by potential exporters? How effective is the support offered by the Welsh Government (and UK Government) in reducing these barriers (e.g. trade missions, export finance support)?
• How strong is the Welsh inward investment ‘offer’?
• To what extent is there a coherent Welsh brand for trade and inward investment?