Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2 - Senedd

Contact: Gareth Price 

Items
Expected timing No. Item

Transcript

View the meeting transcript.

(09:00)

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

1.1 The Chair welcomed Simon Thomas AM to his first meeting of the Committee.

(09:00)

2.

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

Items 3, 4, 5, and 8.

Minutes:

2.1 The Motion was agreed.

(09:00-09:20)

3.

Consideration of draft report on the Assembly Commission draft budget 2014-15

FIN(4)-16-13 Paper 1

Minutes:

3.1 Peter Black AM absented himself for this item due to his role as a Member of the Assembly Commission.

 

3.2 The Committee considered and agreed the draft report.

(09:20-09:40)

4.

Consideration of draft report on the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales draft estimates 2014-15

FIN(4)-16-13 Paper 2

Minutes:

4.1 The Committee considered and agreed the draft report.

(09:40 - 10:00)

5.

Inquiry into Higher Education Funding: consideration of oral witnesses

FIN(4)-16-13 Paper 3

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee considered the paper and agreed the proposed schedule of witnesses with the addition of the Chief Scientific Adviser.

(10:00-11:00)

6.

Scrutiny of the Welsh Government's draft budget proposals for 2014-15 - Evidence from the Welsh Government

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance, National Assembly for Wales

Jo Salway, Deputy Director, Strategic Budgeting

Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser

Minutes:

6.1 The Committee scrutinised the Minister for Finance on the Welsh Government’s draft budget for 2014-15.

 

Action points:

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to write to Committee with clarification on how the proposed HS2 project could affect Barnett consequentials if it proceeds.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to clarify the level of income anticipated from Non-Domestic rates.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to share more information on the where Government caps the fees that can be charged by local authorities.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to forward monitoring returns on capital expenditure for schools.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to send a note on the budget allocated to develop the National Adoption Agency during this financial year.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to send a note and a number for what efficiencies the Welsh Government is making within its central administration.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to provide a note on special treatment given to preventative spending.

 

The Minister for Finance agreed to send clarification on why there has been a cut in the Welsh language budget without the promised assessment of the impact of Welsh Government spending as promised by the First Minister in February 2013.  

 

(11:00)

7.

Papers to note

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.1 The papers were noted.

(11:00-11:15)

8.

Welsh Government Draft Budget 2014-2015: Review of evidence received

Minutes:

8.1 The Committee considered the evidence received from the Minister for Finance today and agreed to write to her seeking clarification on a number of issues raised during the session.