Meetings

4.1 The Members received a private briefing on commercially sensitive issues relating to Cardiff Airport from the Welsh Government officials.

4.2 Andrew Slade agreed to send a note on how the interest on the commercial loans is managed together with the outcome of the process, that is currently underway, to appoint a new Chair of Holdco.

4.3 Members considered the evidence received and it was agreed that the Chair will write to the Welsh Government with the Committee’s views. The Members also agreed that the Legacy Report should recommend that the successor Committee in the 6^th Senedd should continue to monitor issues relating to Cardiff Airport.

Research Briefing

Andrew Slade – Director General, Economy, Skills & Natural Resources Group, Welsh Government

Simon Jones - Director Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government

Steve Vincent – Deputy Director, Economic Infrastructure Management Division, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee questioned Andrew Slade, Director General, Economy, Skills & Natural Resources Group, Simon Jones, Director, Economic Infrastructure and Steve Vincent, Deputy Director, Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government on Cardiff Airport.

2.2 Simon Jones advised the Committee that as from 30 September 2020, he had resigned his position of Chair of Holdco and that arrangements were underway to appoint a successor.

6.1 The Members considered the evidence received.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-08-20 Paper 2 – A review of Cardiff Airport’s performance and prospects in the context of current UK regional airport economics (Report by Northpoint Aviation, Travel & Tourism Consultants)

PAC(5)-08-20 Paper 3 - Cardiff Airport: current performance and business context (Report by Northpoint Aviation)

Roger Lewis – Chairman, Cardiff Airport

Deb Bowen Rees – Chief Executive Officer, Cardiff Airport

Huw Lewis - Finance Director and Company Secretary

Terry Morgan - Non-Executive Director, Cardiff Airport

4.1 Members questioned Roger Lewis, Deb Bowen Rees, Terry Morgan and Huw Lewis as part of their inquiry into Cardiff Airport.

PAC(5)-01-20 Paper 2 – Letter from the Welsh Government

5.1 The Members discussed the letter and also the headlines from Cardiff Airport’s Annual Report and Accounts 2018-19, which were published in late December 2019.

5.2 The Committee agreed that the Chair should write to the Government, seeking further clarification on a number of issues, ahead of their proposed scrutiny session later this term.

PAC(5)-29-19 Paper 3 – Letter from Welsh Government

7.1 The Committee noted the letter and agreed to discuss further on receipt of additional information expected from the Welsh Government.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received and agreed that they would find a visit to the airport beneficial.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-22-19 Paper 1 – Welsh Government

PAC(5)-22-19 Paper 2 – Welsh Government Written Statement: UK response to the Welsh Affairs Committee report into the Devolution of Air Passenger Duty to Wales (6 September 2019)

Andrew Slade - Director General, Economy, Skills & Natural Resources Group, Welsh Government

Simon Jones – Director, Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee received evidence from Andrew Slade, Director General, Economy, Skills & Natural Resources Group and Simon Jones, Director, Economic Infrastructure, Welsh Government on Cardiff Airport.

2.1 Simon Jones declared an interest as Chair of Holdco.

2.3 Andrew Slade agreed to send additional information on:

·         The number of routes and destinations Thomas Cook operated from Cardiff Airport;

·         What data the Welsh Government has published in relation to the value of the PSO subsidy, passengers numbers and the assessment of the value for money of the service for the previous contracts for the Intra-Wales Air Service; and

·         Confirm whether the number of Border Force personnel has increased at the airport as part of the contingency planning for Brexit.

2.4 The Chair agreed to write to the Welsh Government seeking clarification on a number of financial performance issues relating to Cardiff Airport.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-14-19 P1 – Cardiff Airport

Roger Lewis – Chairman, Cardiff Airport

Deb Barber – Chief Executive Officer, Cardiff Airport

Huw Lewis - Finance Director and Company Secretary

3.1 Members received evidence from Roger Lewis, Debra Barber and Huw Lewis from Cardiff Airport as part of the inquiry into Cardiff Airport’s current performance.

PAC(5)-32-18 Paper 4 – Update from the Welsh Government

4.1 Members considered the letter from the Director General, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group and agreed to:

·       Seek further clarification on a number of the points; and

·       Schedule an evidence session for the summer 2019 term to examine the airport’s performance together with its medium to long-term plans for future development.

PAC(5)-30-17 Paper 1 – Update from the Welsh Government

3.1 Members noted the update and agreed to write to the Welsh Government highlighting concerns about the length of time taken to appoint an external board Member to Holdco and requesting an explanation about why it has taken so long.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-09-16 Paper 1: Welsh Government Response

PAC(5)-09-16 Paper 2: Response from Cardiff International Airport Limited (CIAL)

PAC(5)-09-16 Paper 3: Letter from the Auditor General for Wales

James Price – Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, Welsh Government

Simon Jones – Director Transport and ICT Infrastructure, Welsh Government

Mick McGuire - Director, Sectors and Business, Welsh Government

4.1 Member’s noted the Welsh Government’s response to the previous Committee’s recommendations from their inquiry into the Acquisition of Cardiff Airport.

4.2 The Committee questioned James Price, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group and Simon Jones, Director Transport and ICT Infrastructure, Welsh Government on Acquisition of Cardiff Airport.

4.3 James Price agreed to:

·       Send details of the performance indicators that have been developed by Holdco;

·       The impact the Future Generations Act 2015 will have on the operation of Cardiff Airport;

·       Share the correspondence in relation to the role of the Chair of CIAL on the Holdco Board;

·       Send a copy of the Master Plan for Cardiff Airport, when available, in 2017;

·       Provide an update on the instrument landing system; and

·       Advised that he would revisit the due diligence applied to Cardiff Aviation and comment accordingly.