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The Deputy First Minister has insisted plans to ban greyhound racing are not linked to a budget deal, despite being confronted with evidence it was part of the agreement.

During a tense evidence session on Monday (October 20), Huw Irranca-Davies was challenged by fellow Labour member Alun Davies over the timing of a draft law.

Mr Davies argued the ban was part of a deal the Labour government struck with Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, to secure her support for this year’s budget.

The former minister quoted from the published 2025/26 Welsh Government budget agreement which lists “a move to ban greyhound racing in Wales” as part of the deal.

“I’m entirely unconvinced by the argument that it’s a separate process,” he said.

‘Parallel but separate’

In response, Mr Irranca-Davies told Senedd Members not to be “under any misapprehension” that bringing in a ban was related to budget considerations.

The Deputy First Minister, whose responsibilities include animal welfare, maintained that plans for a ban were based on ethical considerations such as injuries and fatalities.

He pointed out that a Welsh Government consultation, which showed a majority in favour of a ban, was already in his “in-tray” when he came into post 18 months ago.

Appearing before the Senedd’s legislation committee for scrutiny of the prohibition of greyhound racing bill, he said: “There are two parallel but separate processes going on.

“One of which is to do with budget considerations, and those are serious matters for any government, whether here or in the UK or elsewhere, and the other one is the rights and wrongs of bringing forward legislation on the prohibition of greyhounds.

“I am very clear – very clear – on the rationale for this legislation.”

‘I have no idea’

But his Labour colleague was not convinced by the claim of separate processes, telling the Deputy First Minister:  “You and I were sat in the same meetings when some of this was discussed and there was clearly a linkage there.”

Mr Davies added: “The Welsh Government did not bring forward, as far as I’m aware, any proposals on this matter prior to that agreement, so it is difficult to disentangle the two.”

He criticised ministers for failing to complete impact assessments before “asking people to take steps to ban a currently lawful activity without the information that’s required”.

The Conservatives’ Samuel Kurtz asked whether the budget would have passed had the Welsh Government not proposed to bring forward the greyhound bill.

“I have no idea,” Mr Irranca-Davies replied. “It’s not pertinent to my consideration.”

He added: “There were wider considerations for other cabinet colleagues, undoubtedly, in terms of passing the budget and the importance… for the Welsh Government and public services. But the rationale for bringing forward this legislation… was not related to a budget.”

‘Political fix’

The Deputy First Minister’s strenuous denials follow the Greyhound Board of Great Britain lodging a judicial review in May to challenge the decision to move to ban the sport.

On February 12, a Senedd debate on a 35,000-name petition calling for a ban on greyhound racing was met with a relatively lukewarm response by the Welsh Government.

But, less than a week later in a hastily arranged statement on February 18, the Deputy First Minister announced plans for Wales to become the first part of the UK to bring in a ban.

The £100m budget deal was announced two days later on February 20, with a press release stating: “The agreement includes a commitment to move to ban greyhound racing in Wales.”

Ms Dodds struck a different tone to the Deputy First Minister as the bill was introduced last month, telling the Senedd: “I was the one who did the political fix and I’m proud of that.”