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Public Accounts Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 3 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Monday, 13 October 2014 |
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Meeting time: |
13.30 - 17.20 |
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This meeting can be viewed on
Senedd TV at: |
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Concise Minutes: |
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Assembly Members: |
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Darren Millar AM (Chair) William Graham AM Mike Hedges AM Jenny Rathbone AM Aled Roberts AM Sandy Mewies AM Jocelyn Davies AM (In place of Alun Ffred Jones AM) Keith Davies AM (In place of Julie Morgan AM) |
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Witnesses: |
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Nick Capaldi, Arts Council of Wales Richard Davies, Office of Welsh Language Commissioner Tony Evans, Office Of Children's Commissioner for Wales Meri Huws, Welsh Language Commissioner Keith Towler, Children’s Commissioner for Wales Hywel Tudor, Arts Council of Wales |
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Committee Staff: |
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Michael Kay (Clerk) Claire Griffiths (Deputy Clerk) Richard Bettley (Researcher) John Dwight (Wales Audit Office) Huw Vaughan Thomas (Auditor General for Wales) |
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1 Scrutiny of Commissioners’ Accounts 2013-14:
1.1 Members discussed the research briefs in advance of the scrutiny sessions with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, the Welsh Language Commissioner and the Arts Council for Wales.
Transcript
View the meeting transcript.
2 Introductions, apologies and substitutions
2.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to Committee.
2.2 Apologies were received from Alun Ffred Jones and Julie Morgan. Jocelyn Davies and Keith Davies substituted.
3 Papers to note
3.1 The papers were noted.
3.2 The Chair agreed to write to Sir Derek Jones asking whether there is a policy relating to severance packages and, if so, whether it applies commonly to all grades of staff.
3.1 Management of Chronic Conditions: Letter from the Chair of Health and Social Care Committee (30 September 2014)
3.2 Welsh Government Consolidated Annual Accounts 2013-14: Letter from Sir Derek Jones (6 October 2014)
4 The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill: Committee Correspondence
4.1 Members considered the correspondence and were supportive of the Environment and Sustainability Committee’s request for the Auditor General for Wales to make arrangements to examine the data underpinning the RIA set out in the Welsh Government’s Explanatory Memorandum to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill.
4.2 The Chair agreed to write to the Auditor General for Wales advising him of the decision.
5 Scrutiny of Commissioners’ Accounts 2013-14: Children's Commissioner for Wales
5.1 The Committee scrutinised the Children’s Commissioner for Wales Accounts for 2013-14 questioning Keith Towler, Children's Commissioner for Wales and Tony Evans, Head of Corporate Services.
5.2 The Children’s Commissioner for Wales agreed to provide details of the cost of the car lease, and how those costs compare to use of a private vehicle. He also agreed to provide details on the increase in other administrative expenditure of £18,000 between 2012-13 and 2013-14.
6 Scrutiny of Commissioners’ Accounts 2013-14: Welsh Language Commissioner
6.1 The Committee scrutinised the Welsh Language Commissioners’ Accounts for 2013-14 questioning Meri Huws, Welsh Language Commissioner and Richard Davies, Finance Officer.
7 Scrutiny of Arts Council of Wales Annual Report 2013-14
6.1 The Committee scrutinised the Arts Council of Wales Annual Report 2013-14 questioning Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive and Hywel Tudor, Director of Finance and Resources.
6.2 Nick Capaldi agreed to provide further information on the ‘Collectorplan’ loan scheme, including eligibility of art works, gender, income and geographical spread. He also agreed to provide a note on how the ACfW is implementing the strategy to increase participation with people from under-represented groups as part of their targets for 21014-15 and goals for 2018.
8 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:
8.1 The motion was agreed.
9 Scrutiny of Commissioners’ Accounts 2013-14: Consideration of evidence received
9.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received and agreed to write to Dr Shooter as part of his review of the Children’s Commissioner on issues raised and also write to the Chair of the Finance Committee regarding the levels of resources.
10 Scrutiny of Arts Council of Wales Annual Report 2013-14: Consideration of evidence received
10.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received and agreed to write to the Arts Council of Wales seeking further information on areas of their Annual Report that they had not been questioned on due to time constraints.