Agenda and minutes

Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee (Hybrid) - Thursday, 26 February 2026 10.00

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Richard Thomas

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Transcript: Transcript for 26/02/2026 - Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee

Items
Expected timing	No.	Item
10:00	1.	Introductions, apologies and substitutions View the background to item 1. Minutes: 1.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to the meeting.
10:00-11:00	2.	The future of rugby in Wales: Evidence session with the Welsh Rugby Union View the background to item 2. Richard Collier-Keywood, Chair, WRU Geraint John, Community Director, WRU Alison Thorne, Independent non-executive board director, WRU Supporting documents: Restricted enclosure 4 View the reasons why document 2./1 is restricted Written evidence - Ospreys Supporters Club Committee , item 2. PDF 450 KB View as HTML (2./2) 17 KB Written evidence - Richard O'Connell , item 2. PDF 228 KB View as HTML (2./3) 18 KB Written evidence - Mathew Lacey , item 2. PDF 189 KB View as HTML (2./4) 16 KB Written evidence - Bill Ronan , item 2. PDF 235 KB View as HTML (2./5) 21 KB Minutes: 2.1 The Committee questioned the witnesses on the future of rugby in Wales.
11:00	3.	Papers to note View the background to item 3. Minutes: 3.1 The papers were noted. 3.2 The Committee agreed to write to the relevant Ministers regarding access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England.
	3.1	Arts Council of Wales View the background to item 3.1 Supporting 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 , item 3.1 PDF 634 KB
	3.2	Funding for Wrexham AFC View the background to item 3.2 Supporting documents: Letter from the Welsh Government: Clarifying Welsh Government support for Wrexham AFC's stadium development – 4 February 2026 , item 3.2 PDF 202 KB Annex 1 to the letter from the Welsh Government: Wrexham Gateway project documents , item 3.2 PDF 20 MB Annex 2 to the letter from the Welsh Government: Wrexham Gateway project documents , item 3.2 PDF 6 MB
	3.3	Welsh Government Draft Budget 2026-27 View the background to item 3.3 Supporting documents: Letter from the First Minister: Responding to the Committee's Draft Budget 2026-27 report – 27 January 2026 , item 3.3 PDF 376 KB
	3.4	Wales-Ireland relations View the background to item 3.4 Supporting documents: Letter from the First Minister: Responding to the Committee's letter on the Wales-Ireland relations inquiry – 27 January 2026 , item 3.4 PDF 247 KB 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 , item 3.4 PDF 87 KB
	3.5	Access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England View the background to item 3.5 Supporting documents: Correspondence from Jenny: Raising concerns about access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England – 28 January 2026 , item 3.5 PDF 114 KB Letter from Equity Cymru Wales: Raising concerns about access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England – 13 February 2026 , item 3.5 PDF 389 KB 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 , item 3.5 PDF 421 KB Correspondence from Thomasine Tomkins: Raising concerns about access to student finance for performing arts degrees in England – 23 February 2026 , item 3.5 PDF 62 KB
	3.6	Public service broadcasting View the background to item 3.6 Supporting 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 , item 3.6 PDF 229 KB View as HTML (3.6/1) 16 KB Letter to the BBC: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026 , item 3.6 PDF 113 KB Letter to Channel 4: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026 , item 3.6 PDF 113 KB Letter to ITV: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 15 January 2026 – 13 February 2026 , item 3.6 PDF 250 KB Letter to Ofcom: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026 , item 3.6 PDF 133 KB Letter to S4C: Requesting further information following oral evidence on 22 January 2026 – 13 February 2026 , item 3.6 PDF 134 KB
	3.7	UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly View the background to item 3.7 Supporting documents: UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) - Sixth meeting summary report – 10 February 2026 , item 3.7 PDF 8 MB
	3.8	The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (Amendment of Schedule 6) Order 2026 and The Welsh Language Standards (No.10) Regulations 2026 View the background to item 3.8 Supporting 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 , item 3.8 PDF 160 KB
	3.9	Welsh Government international relations View the background to item 3.9 Supporting documents: Ministerial Inward-Outward Visits – January 2026 – 11 February 2026 , item 3.9 PDF 271 KB View as HTML (3.9/1) 21 KB
	3.10	Public interest journalism View the background to item 3.10 Supporting 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 , item 3.10 PDF 593 KB
	3.11	Culture shock View the background to item 3.11 Supporting 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 , item 3.11 PDF 109 KB Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Providing a final update on the Committee's Culture Shock report – 17 February 2026 , item 3.11 PDF 191 KB
	3.12	Sport Wales View the background to item 3.12 Supporting 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 , item 3.12 PDF 1 MB
11:00	4.	Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of today's meeting View the background to item 4. Minutes: 4.1 The motion was agreed.
11:00-11:20	5.	The future of rugby in Wales: Consideration of the evidence received View the background to item 5. Minutes: 5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.
11:20-11:30	6.	Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation View the background to item 6. Supporting documents: Restricted enclosure 46 View the reasons why document 6./1 is restricted 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 , item 6. PDF 124 KB Minutes: 6.1 The Committee considered the treaty and agreed to write to the Welsh Government and the UK Government to ask for further information.

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