Concise Minutes - Public Accounts Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Meeting date: Monday, 11 December 2017

Meeting time: 14.01 - 15.55
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/4357

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	Nick Ramsay AM (Chair) Neil Hamilton AM Vikki Howells AM Rhianon Passmore AM Adam Price AM Lee Waters AM
Witnesses:	Mark Child, Western Bay Regional Collaborative Committee Rachel Evans, Western Bay Regional Collaborative Committee
Wales Audit Office:	Huw Vaughan Thomas – Auditor General for Wales Matthew Mortlock
Committee Staff:	Fay Bowen (Clerk) Claire Griffiths (Deputy Clerk) Katie Wyatt (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to the meeting.

1.2 Apologies were received from Mohammad Asghar AM. There was no substitute.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Paper(s) to note

2.1 The papers were noted.

· On coastal flooding, the Chair agreed to write to the Welsh Government seeking an update on their timetable for the Coastal Risk Management Programme and advise the Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee of the coastal toolkit to accompany the new Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management with regard to realignment.

· Regarding the correspondence between the Committee and the Welsh Government on working practices and procedures, Members felt that the response was positive but that close monitoring would be required to ensure that Welsh Government responses to Committee recommendations consistently provide full explanations of why a recommendation has been accepted or not. The Chair agreed to respond to the Permanent Secretary with the Committee’s views.

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1 Coastal flood and erosion risk management in Wales: Additional information from the Welsh Government (20 November 2017)

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.2 Inquiry into Regulatory oversight of Housing Associations: Additional information from the Welsh Government (21 November 2017)

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.3 Committee working practices and procedures: Correspondence between the Committee and the Welsh Government

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.4 Audit of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Contractual Relationships with RKC Associates Ltd and its Owner: Additional information from the Welsh Government (24 November 2017)

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.5 Audit of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Contractual Relationships with RKC Associates Ltd and its Owner: Additional information from Cardiff and Vale UHB (30 November 2017)

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.6 Natural Resources Wales Scrutiny of Accounts 2015-16: Additional information from Natural Resources Wales (29 November 2017)

</AI8>

<AI9>

3 The Welsh Government’s Supporting People Programme: Evidence Session 4

3.1 The Committee received evidence from Councillor Mark Child, Chair, Western Bay Regional Collaborative Committee and Rachel Evans, Supporting People Lead, City and County of Swansea Co-ordinating Authority as part of its inquiry into The Welsh Government’s Supporting People Programme.

</AI9>

<AI10>

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

4.1 The motion was agreed.

</AI10>

<AI11>

5 The Welsh Government’s Supporting People Programme: Consideration of evidence received

5.1 Members considered the evidence received.

</AI11>

<AI12>

6 The 21st Century Schools and Education Programme: Consideration of update from the Welsh Government

6.1 Members noted the written update and agreed to undertake an inquiry during the summer 2018 term.

</AI12>

<AI13>

7 Public Procurement in Wales: Auditor General for Wales Reports

7.1 The Committee received a briefing on the Auditor General’s Report on the National Procurement Service which was published on 30 November. Members had already agreed to undertake an inquiry into Public Procurement following publication of his earlier report on Public Procurement - Landscape Review on 23 October.

7.2 Members noted that evidence sessions will be scheduled for the spring 2018 term.

</AI13>

<AI14>

8 The Governance Challenges posed by indirectly provided, publicly funded services in Wales: Oral Update from the Auditor General for Wales

8.1 The Auditor General gave an oral update on his discussion paper which was published in February 2017 and considered by Committee during its meeting on 6 March 2017.

8.2 Members agreed that the Chair should write to the Permanent Secretary seeking an update on progress made in respect of the relationship between the Welsh Government and arm’s length companies.

</AI14>

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