Agenda - Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3, Senedd

Meeting date: 26 February 2026

Meeting time: 10.00
For further information contact:

Richard Thomas

Committee Clerk

0300 200 6565

SeneddCulture@senedd.wales

Hybrid

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<AI1>

Private pre-meeting

09:45-10:00

</AI1>

<AI2>

1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions

10:00

</AI2>

<AI3>

2 The future of rugby in Wales: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union

10:00-11:00 (Pages 1 - 28)

Richard Collier-Keywood, Chair, WRU

Geraint John, Community Director, WRU

Alison Thorne, Independent non-executive board director, WRU

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Written evidence - Ospreys Supporters Club Committee
Written evidence - Richard O'Connell
Written evidence - Mathew Lacey
Written evidence - Bill Ronan

</AI3>

<AI4>

3 Papers to note

11:00

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.1 Arts Council of Wales

(Pages 29 - 96)

Attached Documents:
Correspondence from the Arts Council of Wales: Sharing research on the economic value of engaging in the arts in Wales, in terms of health and productivity benefits – 19 January 2026

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.2 Funding for Wrexham AFC

(Pages 97 - 435)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Welsh Government: Clarifying Welsh Government support for Wrexham AFC's stadium development – 4 February 2026
Annex 1 to the letter from the Welsh Government: Wrexham Gateway project documents
Annex 2 to the letter from the Welsh Government: Wrexham Gateway project documents

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.3 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2026-27

(Pages 436 - 447)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the First Minister: Responding to the Committee's Draft Budget 2026-27 report – 27 January 2026

</AI7>

<AI8>

3.4 Wales-Ireland relations

(Pages 448 - 457)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the First Minister: Responding to the Committee's letter on the Wales-Ireland relations inquiry – 27 January 2026
Letter to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht, and the Irish-Speaking Community: Informing the Joint Committee of the cancellation of the Committee’s visit to Dublin – 9 February 2026

</AI8>

<AI9>

3.5 Access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England

(Pages 458 - 474)

Attached Documents:
Correspondence from Jenny: Raising concerns about access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England – 28 January 2026
Letter from Equity Cymru Wales: Raising concerns about access to student finance for  performing arts degrees in England – 13 February 2026
Copy letter from Equity Cymru Wales to the Minister for Further and Higher Education: Raising concerns about access to student finance for  performing arts degrees in England – 10 February 2026
Correspondence from Thomasine Tomkins: Raising concerns about access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England – 23 February 2026

</AI9>

<AI10>

3.6 Public service broadcasting

(Pages 475 - 500)

Attached Documents:
Correspondence from the BBC: Responding to the findings of the independent thematic review of portrayal and representation of the UK in BBC content – 29 January 2026
Letter to the BBC: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January  2026 – 13 February 2026
Letter to Channel 4: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026
Letter to ITV: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 15 January 2026 – 13 February 2026
Letter to Ofcom: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026
Letter to S4C: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026

</AI10>

<AI11>

3.7 UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly

(Pages 501 - 510)

Attached Documents:
UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) - Sixth meeting summary report – 10 February 2026

</AI11>

<AI12>

3.8 The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (Amendment of Schedule 6) Order 2026 and The Welsh Language Standards (No.10) Regulations 2026

(Pages 511 - 512)

Attached Documents:
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language: Informing the Committee of his intention to lay The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (Amendment of Schedule 6) Order 2026 and The Welsh Language Standards (No. 10) Regulations 2026 – 10 February 2026

</AI12>

<AI13>

3.9 Welsh Government international relations

(Page 513)

Attached Documents:
Ministerial Inward-Outward Visits – January 2026 – 11 February 2026

</AI13>

<AI14>

3.10 Public interest journalism

(Pages 514 - 519)

Attached Documents:
Letter to the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership: Calling on the Welsh Government to respond to the recommendations of the 2023 report 'Of and for Wales: towards a sustainable future for public interest journalism' – 11 February 2026

</AI14>

<AI15>

3.11 Culture shock

(Pages 520 - 523)

Attached Documents:
Letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Requesting a final update on the Committee's Culture Shock report – 11 February 2026
Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Providing a final update on the Committee's Culture Shock report – 17 February 2026

</AI15>

<AI16>

3.12 Sport Wales

(Pages 524 - 530)

Attached Documents:
Letter from Sport Wales: Providing information on work being carried out with partners and stakeholders to look ahead at policy recommendations in 2026 and beyond – 13 February 2026

</AI16>

<AI17>

4 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of today's meeting

11:00

</AI17>

<AI18>

5 The future of rugby in Wales: Consideration of the evidence received

11:00-11:20

</AI18>

<AI19>

6 Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation

11:20-11:30 (Pages 531 - 537)

Attached Documents:
Research brief
Letter from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee on the treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation

</AI19>

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