Meetings

6.1 The Committee considered the Welsh Government’s outturn report 2011-2012 and agreed to request further information from the Minister for Finance.

7.1 The Committee discussed the evidence provided by the Welsh Government in relation to its Supplementary Budget 2011-2012.

FIN(4)-03-12 – Paper 1 – Welsh Government Supplementary Budget 2011-2012

FIN(4)-03-12 – Paper 2 – Letter from Assembly Commission regarding Supplementary Budget

FIN(4)-03-12 – Paper 3 – Letter from Public Services Ombudsman regarding Supplementary Budget

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance
Jo Salway, Head of Strategic Budgeting

Martin Sollis, Deputy Director of Finance

Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser

2.1 The Chair welcomed Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance; Jo Salway, Head of Strategic Budgeting; Martin Sollis, Deputy Director of Finance; and Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser.

2.2 Members scrutinised the Minister.

Action points:

The Welsh Government agreed to provide:

·         A breakdown of how additional capital has been invested in the Central Services portfolio.

·         A note highlighting the reconciliation of the Education and Skills MEG against the structure in the draft budget, reflecting the changes in the current supplementary budget.

·         Clarification on whether the Wales Economic Growth Fund would be sourced from the Legacy Single Investment Fund and clarification of whether there was underspend in the Legacy Single Investment Fund.

·         Further details on the Invest-to-Save fund, including clarification on which financial year the additional £10 Million of Invest-to-save funding (announced by the Minister in December 2011) would be allocated toward.

·         A list of all award and repayment profiles made within the Invest-to-Save Fund.  

NDM4748 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order 20.30, approves the Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2011-12 laid in the Table Office and emailed to Assembly Members on Tuesday, 21 June 2011.

Footnote:

In accordance with the relevant provisions contained in the Government of Wales Act 2006 and Standing Order 20, the Supplementary Budget comprises the following information:

(i) the written statement required under section 125(3) of the Government of Wales Act;

(ii) the resources agreed by the Treasury for the Welsh block budget for the financial year covered by the motion;

(iii) a reconciliation between the resources allocated to the Welsh block budget by the Treasury and the resources to be authorised for use in the motion;

(iv) a reconciliation between the estimated amounts to be paid into the Welsh Consolidated Fund by the Secretary of State and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Fund in the motion; and

(v) a reconciliation between the resources to be authorised under section 125(1)(a) and (b) of the Act and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Welsh Consolidated Fund under section 125(1)(c).

The following additional information has been made available to Members:

a note explaining the main changes from previous plans.

Supporting Documents

Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2011-12

Report of the Finance Committee on Scrutiny of Supplementary Budget motion 2011-2012 (Summer 2011)

National Assembly for Wales Research Service paper: Supplementary Budget 2011-12

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

FIN(4) 02-11(p1)

3.1 The Committee agreed its draft report on scrutiny of the Welsh Governments supplementary budget motion 2011-2012, which would be published ahead of the plenary debate on 12 July.

3.1 The Committee discussed the key issues arising from their scrutiny of the Supplementary Budget 2011-12.

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance

Andrew Jeffreys, Head of Strategic Budgeting -Strategic Planning, Finance & Performance - SPF&P

Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser, SPF&P

Scrutiny of Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee welcomed Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance; Andrew Jeffreys, Head of Strategic Budgeting -Strategic Planning, Finance & Performance - SPF&P; and Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser, SPF&P.

2.2 The Committee scrutinised the Minister.

2.3 The Minister agreed to provide:

·         Further details on revisions in the accounting treatment, which resulted in a reduction of £92.4 million in relation to the provision of student loans.

·         Further details on the transfer of £18.6 million from DEFRA to the Welsh Government in relation to animal health and welfare.

·         A breakdown of the consequentials of the UK budget 2011, detailing the policy decisions from which they resulted, and including the indicative figures of the revenue and capital consequentials for the remaining years of the spending review.

·         A breakdown, by region, of the costs of the 2011 election and comparison with the regional costs of previous Assembly elections, including the costs incurred by the referendum in 2011.

·         Details of the real term reductions in revenue and capital in the supplementary budget’s indicative figures for the next two years.

·         Further details on the timescales of the allocation of the Centrally Retain Capital (CRC) Fund.