Concise Minutes - Public Accounts Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Meeting date: Monday, 12 December 2016

Meeting time: 14.00 - 16.11
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/3905

Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	Nick Ramsay AM (Chair) Neil Hamilton AM Mike Hedges AM Neil McEvoy AM Rhianon Passmore AM
Witnesses:	James Price, Welsh Government Matthew Quinn, Welsh Government James Morris, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Huw Vaughan Thomas Andy Phillips Nick Selwyn Meriel Singleton (Second Clerk) Claire Griffiths (Deputy Clerk)

<AI1>

Transcript

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

</AI1>

<AI2>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members of the Committee.

1.2 Apologies were received from Mohammad Asghar and Lee Waters. There were no substitutes.

</AI2>

<AI3>

2 Paper(s) to note

2.1 The papers were noted.

2.2 The Committee agreed the following action:

Valedictory session– The Chair to write to the Permanent Secretary seeking clarification of the true cost of counter-fraud measures and not just the staff resources of the Counter-Fraud Unit.

Cardiff Airport– The Chair to write to the Welsh Government seeking additional information on Cardiff Aviation Limited and specifically the due diligence exercise carried out in 2012.

Kancoat – The Chair to write to the Welsh Government requesting whether the risk of being dependent on a single supplier was identified and mitigated against. The Committee also wish to query the due diligence procedure given that it was based on a 2011 valuation and that the due diligence officer had suggested a new valuation be commissioned.

Welsh Government historic debt– The Committee agreed to include this issue in its scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s Consolidated Accounts 2016-17 in autumn 2017. The Auditor General for Wales agreed to undertake some checks as to the origin of the debt and advise Committee accordingly.

</AI3>

<AI4>

2.1 Valedictory session: Additional information from Sir Derek Jones, Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government (24 November 2016)

</AI4>

<AI5>

2.2 Cardiff Airport: Additional information from the Welsh Government (28 November 2016)

</AI5>

<AI6>

2.3 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Additional information from the Welsh Government (28 November 2016)

</AI6>

<AI7>

2.4 The Welsh Government’s Funding of Kancoat Ltd: Additional information from the Welsh Government (29 November 2016)

</AI7>

<AI8>

2.5 Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: Additional information from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (28 November 2016)

</AI8>

<AI9>

2.6 Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: Additional information from the Welsh Government (29 November 2016)

</AI9>

<AI10>

2.7 Welsh Government historic debt: Letter from Simon Thomas AM, Chair of Finance Committee (29 November 2016)

</AI10>

<AI11>

2.8 Welsh Government investment in next generation broadband infrastructure: Additional information from the Welsh Government (30 November 2016)

</AI11>

<AI12>

2.9 Auditor General for Wales Report: Preparedness for the introduction of fiscal powers

</AI12>

<AI13>

3 Coastal flood and erosion risk management in Wales

3.1 The Committee scrutinised James Price, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, Matthew Quinn, Director, Environment & Sustainable Development and

James Morris, Head of the Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Team, Welsh Government on coastal flood and erosion risk management in Wales.

3.2 James Price agreed to:

· Send a note on the possibility that future planning permission includes restrictions for developers to plant trees, restrict the use of block paving for example to reduce the impact of flooding.

· Send a note on the reality that poor land susceptible to flooding has been built upon and there is the possibility that further development will take place in the future.

</AI13>

<AI14>

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.

</AI14>

<AI15>

5 Coastal flood and erosion risk management in Wales: Consideration of evidence received

5.1 Members discussed the evidence received and agreed to publish a short report following their evidence sessions.

</AI15>

<AI16>

6 Community Safety in Wales: Auditor General for Wales Report

6.1 The Committee received a briefing on the Auditor General for Wales’ report on his recent report on Community Safety in Wales.

6.2 The Committee agreed that the Chair would write to the Police and Crime Commissioners and on consideration of their responses, consider whether to hold oral evidence sessions on this issue.

</AI16>

<AI17>

7 The strategic approach of councils to income generation and charging: Auditor General for Wales report

7.1 The Committee received a briefing on the Auditor General for Wales’ report on his recent report on the strategic approach of councils to income generation and charging.

7.2 The Committee agreed to hold an evidence session on this issue in spring 2017.

</AI17>

<AI18>

8 Hospital Catering and Patient Nutrition: Key issues

8.1 The papers were noted.

8.2 Members agreed to publish their findings in a short report.

</AI18>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1.FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>