Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Contact: Fay Buckle 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Items
Expected timing No. Item

Transcript

View the meeting transcript (PDF 274KB) View as HTML (333KB)

(09:00)

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

1.1         The Chair welcomed the Members to the meeting.

1.2         There were no apologies.

1.3         Sandy Mewies AM declared an interest as a Member of the Assembly Commission.

(09:00 - 09:05)

2.

Papers to note

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1 The papers were noted.

2.1

Scrutiny of Accounts 2014-15: Additional information from the National Library of Wales

Supporting documents:

(09:05 - 10:35)

3.

Scrutiny of Accounts 2014 - 15: Welsh Government Consolidated Annual Accounts 2014-2015

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 1

Research Briefing

 

Sir Derek Jones – Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government

David Richards - Director of Governance, Welsh Government

Peter Kennedy - Director Human Resources, Welsh Government

Gawain Evans - Deputy Director Finance, Welsh Government

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 The Committee considered the Welsh Government’s Consolidated Annual Accounts 2014-15, questioning Sir Derek Jones, Permanent Secretary, David Richards, Director of Governance, Peter Kennedy, Director Human Resources and Gawain Evans, Deputy Director Finance, Welsh Government.

3.2 Sir Derek Jones agreed to send further information on the following issues:

·       Details of website traffic and number of hits the Welsh Government Consolidated Accounts receive on the web to give an indication of readership

·       Reasons why the amount of food waste over the Welsh Government’s estate has increased from 2013-14

·       Reasons why the NHS risk pool has not been itemised in the consolidated accounts for 2014-15 as it has been in previous years and explain why this information has not been reported in the accounts

·       Provide a full breakdown on non-cash items and AME and include the figures from 2013-14 for comparison

·       How the Welsh Government addresses cash management and in particular the £86.8m underspend relating to health boards

·       Details of what the £19.6m other liabilities consists of

·       When the original receipts were expected in for the special payments relating to Tryst Engineering Company and Desk Link Office

·       Situation regarding restocking of anti-viral drugs for a pandemic influenza outbreak

·       The cause of the losses regarding Careers Choices Dewis Gyrfa Ltd

3.3 During the consideration of the evidence received, Members asked that the Permanent Secretary send details of how his strategy to achieve a gender balance of 50:50 by 20:20.

 

 

(10:35-10:45)

4.

Meeting the Financial Challenges Facing Local Government in Wales: Committee correspondence

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 2 – Letter from Owen Evans, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Education and Public Services Group, Welsh Government (14 September 2015)

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 3 – Letter from the Auditor General for Wales (29 September 2015)

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1 Members noted the correspondence.

4.2 It was suggested that it would be helpful if the Welsh Government asked local government to provide a more detailed level of information on what each reserve is intended for and how they expect to spend it over a period of time.

4.3 The Chair advised that it is unlikely that the Committee will revisit this issue before the end of the Assembly term.

 

(10:45-10:50)

5.

Responding to Welfare Reform in Wales: Letter from the Auditor General for Wales

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 4

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1 Members agreed that the Chair should write to the Welsh Government seeking further clarification on the response to the Committee’s report.

(10:50)

6.

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

Item 7 and items 1 & 2 of the meeting on 12 October 2015

Minutes:

6.1 The motion was agreed.

(10:50 - 11:00)

7.

Scrutiny of Accounts 2014 - 15: Consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

7.1 Members considered the evidence received.