Concise Minutes - Public Accounts Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Meeting date: Monday, 2 October 2017

Meeting time: 13.07 - 16.41
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/4348

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	Nick Ramsay AM (Chair) Mohammad Asghar (Oscar) AM Neil Hamilton AM Vikki Howells AM Lee Waters AM
Witnesses:	Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner Helen Verity, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner Gawain Evans, Welsh Government Caren Fullerton, Welsh Government Peter Kennedy, Welsh Government Shan Morgan, Welsh Government James Price, Welsh Government David Richards, Welsh Government
Wales Audit Office:	Huw Vaughan Thomas – Auditor General for Wales Richard Harries Julie Rees Mike Usher
Committee Staff:	Meriel Singleton (Second Clerk) Claire Griffiths (Deputy Clerk) Katie Wyatt (Legal Adviser)

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Transcript

View the meeting transcript (PDF 999KB) View as HTML (999KB)

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1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to Committee.

1.2 Apologies were received from Rhianon Passmore AM. There was no substitute.

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2 Paper(s) to note

2.1 The papers were noted.

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2.1 Glastir: Letter from the Welsh Government (18 September 2017)

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3 Scrutiny of Accounts 2016-17: Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

3.1 Members scrutinised Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, and Helen Verity, Director of Finance and Corporate Governance on the Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17.

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4 Scrutiny of Accounts 2016-17: Welsh Government

4.1 Members scrutinised Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary at the Welsh Government and her officials, on the Welsh Government Consolidated Accounts 2016-17.

4.2 The Permanent Secretary agreed to:

· Send a copy of the letter, with appropriate redactions, that her predecessor sent to her prior to taking up her appointment;

· Send figures on changes to individual staff earnings over £100K in the reporting period; and

· Send a copy of the current pay policy.

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5 Challenges of Digitalisation: Evidence session

5.1 Members scrutinised Shan Morgan, Permanent Secretary at the Welsh Government and her officials, on the challenges of digitalisation.

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6 Valedictory session: James Price, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group

6.1 The Committee held a valedictory session with James Price, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, prior to him leaving the organisation.

6.2 The Chair wished him well for his new role as Chief Executive of Transport for Wales.

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7 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:

7.1 The motion was agreed.

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8 Scrutiny of Accounts 2016-17: Consideration of evidence received

8.1 Members considered the evidence received.

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9 Challenges of Digitalisation: Consideration of evidence received

9.1 Members considered the evidence received and agreed that the Chair should write to the Permanent Secretary with their views.

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10 Valedictory session: Consideration of evidence received

10.1 Members considered the evidence received.

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11 The Welsh Government's initial funding of the Circuit of Wales project: Consideration of Committee correspondence

11.1 Members considered the evidence received and agreed that the Chair should reply to James Price’s letter of 11 September seeking further clarification on a number of points including those referred to in his valedictory session.

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