NDM6989 Welsh Conservatives debate - Natural Resources Wales
NDM6989 Welsh Conservatives debate - Natural Resources Wales
NDM6989 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales;
1.
Notes the Welsh Government’s decision to merge the Countryside Council for
Wales, Environment Agency Wales, and the Forestry Commission Wales with the
formation of Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in 2013.
2.
Recognises the hard work of frontline staff in the organisation but
acknowledges their dissatisfaction and lack of confidence in the decisions
taken by senior management, as regularly expressed in staff surveys since NRW’s
inception.
3.
Regrets that NRW has systematically failed the people of Wales through a number
of high-profile scandals, including:
a)
serious failings in the handling of timber contracts which auditors, Grant
Thornton, stated were so bad they "heightened exposure to the risk of
fraud";
b)
the ‘qualification’ of the organisation’s accounts by the Wales Audit Office
for three years running, indicating that there were questions over whether the
organisation had acted within the rules;
c)
the contradictory approach led by NRW when deciding to intervene on matters of
public interest such as shooting on public land and nuclear mud dumping.
4.
Calls on the Welsh Government to instigate an independent review/inquiry into
the organisation’s failings and to investigate alternative proposals for the
management of the natural resources of Wales.
Grant
Thornton - Natural Resources Wales - Governance of Timber Sales - 3 February
2019
Natural
Resources Wales - Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16
Natural
Resources Wales - Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17
Natural
Resources Wales - Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18
The
following amendments were tabled:
Amendment
1 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete
points 3 and 4 replace with new points:
Notes
the findings and recommendations of the reports by:
a)
National Assembly Public Accounts Committee inquiry into NRW’s annual report
and accounts 2017-2018 – November 2018;
b)
Grant Thornton - Natural Resources Wales - Governance of Timber Sales -
February 2019.
Welcomes
the appointment of a new chief executive and interim chair of NRW and their
commitment to implement the recommendations of the two reports and improve the
management and governance of NRW.
Public
Accounts Committee - Natural Resources Wales
Scrutiny
of Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18 – November 2018
[If
amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be de-selected]
Amendment
2 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
In
point 3, replace “Regrets that NRW has systematically failed the people of
Wales through a number of high-profile scandals” with “Regrets the series of
high profile failures in NRW”.
Amendment
3 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Delete
point 4 and replace with:
Calls
on the Welsh Government to establish an independent review to ascertain whether
it is still appropriate for NRW to continue to manage the commercial forest
estate in Wales and consider any potential alternative models.
Amendment
4 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Calls
on the Welsh Government to ensure that NRW is properly resourced to adequately
fulfil all of its duties.
Business type: Debate
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: Complete
First published: 09/06/2021
Decision due: 13 Mar 2019 by Plenary - Fifth Senedd
Lead member: Darren Millar MS