Wales’ Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee just released its report on the Prohibition of Greyhound Racing Bill. The group evaluated whether the bill should move forward after the government introduced it in September 2025.
Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds brought the bill to the Welsh Parliament. But Labour’s government took it on, allegedly as part of a deal to pass its budget through the Senedd.
Committee Chair Delyth Jewell led the review. She says members had to work with incomplete evidence that different sides fiercely contested.
Mark Bird runs the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. He previously told Global Gaming Insider the bill gained support through a “dirty backroom deal.”
Why The Committee Couldn’t Do Its Job
The Welsh Government rushed the bill through too fast. Members didn’t get enough time to gather and review evidence properly.
Jewell points out that the accelerated timeline compromised everything. The committee couldn’t scrutinise the bill the way it wanted to.
The government says it wants to ban greyhound racing by 2030 over welfare concerns. But the committee found the evidence base “insufficiently robust” to support that claim.
There’s clear tension between animal welfare advocates and industry workers. The report couldn’t reach conclusive stances on central welfare questions because the evidence wasn’t solid enough.
What The Report Actually Says
It’s mixed news for both sides. The report strongly criticises how this bill took shape.
But it also notes plenty of support exists for a ban – from committee members, parliament, and the public.
The report recommends the government conduct a comprehensive assessment of economic and social impacts before implementing the ban. That’s essentially what this committee should’ve done, but couldn’t because of time constraints.
The review acknowledges “the accelerated process has compromised the quality of legislative development and left important questions unresolved.”
How This Affects the Bill’s Future
The GBGB isn’t backing down. The Welsh High Court recently granted permission for a judicial review of the government’s decision to adopt the bill. That means there’ll be a full substantive hearing.
So the ban faces serious legal challenges ahead, not just political criticism.
A similar bill from the Green Party is currently being considered in Scotland’s devolved government. If Wales proceeds, it might influence that decision.
The report doesn’t kill the ban outright. But it makes clear the government cut corners getting here, which could prove problematic as this moves forward.
