Agenda and minutes

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1.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to the Committee.

1.2 Following a change in Committee membership on 21 June, the Chair welcome Vikki Howells to the Committee and thanked Mike Hedges for his work. However, Mike Hedges substituted for Vikki Howells today.  

2.1 The papers were noted.

2.2 The Committee agreed that the Chair should write to the Children, Young People and Education Committee advising them of the work the Committee has undertaken as they may wish to seek updates from the Welsh Government during their scheduled ministerial scrutiny sessions.

2.3 Mike Hedges AM asked that the Chair write to the Welsh Government seeking further clarification on Advanced Manufacturing in relation to Kancoat.

Research Briefing

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 1 – Auditor General for Wales Report

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 2 – Welsh Government response to the Auditor General for Wales Report

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 3 – Letter from the Welsh Government (16 June 2017)

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 4 – Letter from the Welsh Government (21 June 2017)

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 4A - Letter from the Committee Chair to the Welsh Government (21 June 2017)

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 4B - Letter from the Welsh Government to the Committee Chair (23 June 2017)

PAC(5)-18-17 Paper 4C - Letter from the Committee Chair to the Welsh Government (23 June 2017)

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

Tracey Mayes - Head of Governance and Compliance, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, Welsh Government

3.1The Chair made an opening statement regarding the recent correspondence between the Welsh Government and himself.

3.2 The Committee scrutinised James Price, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, and Tracey Mayes, Head of Governance and Compliance, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group, Welsh Government on the Welsh Government's initial funding of the Circuit of Wales Project.

3.3 James Price agreed to:

·       Write to the Committee with clarification on the total expenditure incurred and the funding the Welsh Government has put in to date;  

·       Send the internal guidance officials adhere to when assessing grant applications;

·       Provide further details, following the Cabinets’ decision on funding the Circuit of Wales project, on the due diligence process carried out; and

·       Investigate who from the Welsh Government made the comment on a press statement about ‘grandstanding’ and advise the Chair.

Items 5, 6 & 7

4.1 The motion was agreed.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received and agreed that a report be prepared for their consideration.

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)-18-17 Paper 7 – Draft report

7.1 Due to time constraints, this item was not reached but Members were asked to send any comments on their initial consideration of the Committee’s report to the Clerks who will reschedule the item for a future meeting.