Meetings

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-03-20 Paper 1 – Natural Resources Wales

PAC(5)-03-20 Paper 2 – Supplementary Memorandum of the Auditor General for Wales to the Public Accounts Committee (January 2020)

PAC(5)-03-20 Paper 3 – Letter from the Auditor General for Wales (13 January 2020)

Clare Pillman - Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, Natural Resources Wales

Sir David Henshaw – Chair, Natural Resources Wales

2.1 The Committee scrutinised Natural Resources Wales on the progress made on implementing the recommendations included in the Committee’s Report (November 2018) on the Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18.

4.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received and agreed to write to NRW on a number of issues arising.

4.1 Members considered the evidence received.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-04-19 Paper 1 – Letter from Clare Pillman, Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales (4 February 2019)

PAC(5)-04-19 Paper 2 – Letter from Sir David Henshaw, Chair, Natural Resources Wales (4 February 2019)

PAC(5)-04-19 Paper 3 – Terms of Reference for the Independent Review of NRW’s commercial forestry operations (August 2018)

PAC(5)-04-19 Paper 4 – Grant Thornton Independent Review of NRW’s commercial forestry operations 

PAC(5)-04-19 Paper 5 - Natural Resources Wales Executive and Leadership Management Structure (February 2019)

Clare Pillman – Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales

Sir David Henshaw – Chair, Natural Resources Wales

2.1 Members received evidence from Clare Pillman, Chief Executive and Sir David Henshaw, Chair, from Natural Resources Wales as part of their inquiry into Natural Resources Wales’ Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18.

PAC(5)-02-19 Paper 5 – Welsh Government Response

PAC(5)-02-19 Paper 6 – Natural Resources Wales Response

5.1 Members considered the responses to the report and noted that Natural Resources Wales were scheduled to attend Committee on 11 February.

PAC(5)-29-18 Paper 4 – Draft Report

6.1 Members revisited one area of the draft report and after consideration, the Clerks will reword and circulate a revised version by email for agreement. 

PAC(5)-28-18 Paper 6 - Draft Report

6.1 Members considered and agreed the draft report.

7.1 Members considered the evidence received.

Research Briefing

David Sulman – UK Forest Products Association

5.1 Members received evidence from David Sulman from the UK Forest Products Association as part of the Committee’s scrutiny of Natural Resources Wales’ annual report and accounts 2017-18.

4.1 Members considered the evidence received.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-24-18 Paper 1 – Natural Resources Wales Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18

PAC(5)-24-18 Paper 2 – Supplementary Memorandum of the Auditor General for Wales to the Public Accounts Committee: Timber Sales Contracts awarded by Natural Resources Wales

PAC(5)-24-18 Paper 3 – Natural Resources Wales Response to Annual Report and Accounts 2015/16: Updated action plan

Clare Pillman – Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales

Kevin Ingram, Executive Director for Finance and Corporate Services, Natural Resources Wales

Peter Garson, Head of Commercial Operations, Natural Resources Wales

2.1 Members scrutinised Clare Pillman, Chief Executive, Kevin Ingram, Executive Director for Finance and Corporate Services, and Peter Garson, Head of Commercial Operations, Natural Resources Wales on Natural Resources Wales’ Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18.

2.2 Clare Pillman agreed to send details of:

·        How much timber produced in Wales was processed in Wales in 2017-18;

·        Write with details of how the former Chief Executive’s settlement agreement was calculated and who approved it.

PAC(5)-10-18 Paper 1 - Scrutiny of Annual Accounts 2015-16 – Update on action plan

3.1 Members noted the letter and that a further update will be available before the summer recess.

NDM6366 Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Report of the Public Accounts Committee - Natural Resources Wales: Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 - which was laid in the Table Office on 15 June 2017.

Note: Natural Resources Wales's response to the report was received and published on the Committee's webpage on 5 July 2017.

Supporting document:

Report of the Finance Committee

The item started at 15.57

NDM6366 Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Report of the Public Accounts Committee - Natural Resources Wales: Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 - which was laid in the Table Office on 15 June 2017.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 5 – Additional information from Natural Resources Wales

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 6 – Draft letter to the Climate Change,  Environment and Rural Affairs Committee

6.1 Members noted the additional information from Natural Resources Wales and agreed the draft letter to the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.

PAC(5)-16-17 Paper 3 – Draft report

5.1 The draft report was considered. Members asked for a few drafting changes to be made which will be considered outside of Committee.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received from Mr Sulman.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-15-17 Paper 3 – Auditor General for Wales’ Report: The Development of Natural Resources Wales

PAC(5)-15-17 Paper 4 – Additional information from Natural Resources Wales (10 April 2017)

PAC(5)-15-17 Paper 5 – Natural Resources Wales – Internal Audit Report: Long Term Timber Sales Contracts (May 2017)

Dr Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive

Kevin Ingram, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services

6.1 Members scrutinised Dr Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive and Kevin Ingram, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Natural Resources Wales on NRW’s Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16.

6.2 Members scrutinised Dr Emyr Roberts and Kevin Ingram on the Auditor General for Wales’ report on the Development of Natural Resources Wales which was published in February 2016.

6.3 Dr Roberts agreed to send an update on NRW’s performance indicators and include a year-on-year comparison to enable the Committee to assess trends in performance.

7.1 Members discussed the evidence received on the scrutiny of Natural Resources Wales Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16. Some Members were not satisfied with the approach taken by NRW to the 2012 tender exercise and noted there was a conflict of evidence from the two sets of witnesses around this issue. The Clerks were asked to explore further with Mr Sulman what state the timber market was in and what he felt NRW could have done to widen the scope of the tender.

7.2 Members noted that the draft report will be available for their consideration in Committee on 5 June.

7.3 Members considered the evidence received from Natural Resources Wales following the scrutiny of the Auditor General for Wales’ report. It was agreed that the Chair will write to the Chair of the Climate Change, Environmental and Rural Affairs Committee with issues the Committee wish to be included in that Committee’s annual scrutiny of NRW in the autumn term.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-15-17 Paper 1 – Natural Resources Wales Annual Accounts 2015-16

PAC(5)-15-17 Paper 2 – Auditor General for Wales’ Memorandum

David Sulman – Executive Director, UK Forest Products Association

3.1 The Committee took evidence from David Sulman, Executive Director, UK Forest Products Association as part of their inquiry into the scrutiny of Natural Resources Wales Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-11-17 Paper 1 – Natural Resources Wales Annual Accounts 2015-16

PAC(5)-11-17 Paper 2 – Auditor General for Wales’ Memorandum

Dr Emyr Roberts – Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales

Kevin Ingram - Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Natural Resources Wales

3.1 The Committee scrutinised Dr Emyr Roberts, Chief Executive and Kevin Ingram, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Natural Resources Wales on Natural Resources Wales Annual Accounts 2015-16.

3.2 Dr Roberts agreed to:

·       Provide an explanation as to the variation in price paid for timber in Wales together with current market prices

·       Provide the cost of legal advice in relation to the Auditor General’s Report

·       Prepare a note on the good practice adopted by NRW in managing staff sickness

3.3 In addition, the Committee identified that it would like to have sight of the forthcoming report from NRW’s Internal Audit and Risk Assurance Manager on the review of management risks together with a copy of the Business Case prepared for the contract to respond to the spread of the P ramorum tree disease.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received.

1.1 The Committee received a briefing from Natural Resources Wales and discussed on-going confidential issues.

7.1 The Auditor General for Wales gave an oral update on the latest position regarding Natural Resources Wales’ Annual Accounts 2015-16.