, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
We've only got 25 minutes left, and quite a bit to get through, so again I remind everybody to be as concise as possible. Now that welcome centres and other initial accommodation are closed, how is the Welsh Government managing the risk of Ukrainians becoming…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Are some local authorities still offering financial support, for example, to help with rent and deposits to Ukrainians that is not available to other groups in need?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
But the Welsh Government has overall responsibility for policy and oversight, so monitoring and evaluation, I would suggest, from an audit committee's or a public accounts committee's viewpoint, should be at the centre of this. Moving on, to what extent is…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Whilst that's fully understood and clearly a non-discriminatory approach should apply in that way, would it not help to have the data to inform future planning in these areas, and an understanding of how the needs of the Ukrainians who have arrived might…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Okay. What information do you now have on the number of Ukrainians that moved into properties secured through the transitional accommodation capital programme? If those figures are not yet available, when will they be?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. What is the latest position regarding the number of local authorities applying the refusals policy since the end of June 2023, and the income raised in consequence? Has the Welsh Government now completed its review of the refusals policy and, if…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. I'll bring in Natahsa Asghar.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Sioned Evans.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
I think Ms Williams was first and then I'll bring—.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
And I think it should perhaps also be noted for the record, certainly from my casework, that a number of pupils were unable to take up their school placements until they'd had that screening, which is certainly something I corresponded with you about at the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Okay. Thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Excuse me, Mike. Emma Williams would like to come in first.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Okay, thank you. I'll bring in Mike Hedges, who has some questions for you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
We're always wary of acronyms that we all understand but not—. The great people of Wales who may be watching this wouldn't necessarily understand the acronym. Thank you. Finally from me, and it's following on from the early part of your answer then, what, if…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. And you used the term 'private rented sector'; I think, earlier on, the term 'PRS' was used, so I presume they—
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Yes, Ms Williams.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
So, again, with the benefit of hindsight, what, if anything, would you have done differently?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Okay, thank you. On what basis did you think that Ukrainians would move on from welcome centres within 12 weeks, and what might you have done differently in trying to assess accommodation needs with the benefit of hindsight?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. Again, I was told that there were effectively three waves of arrivals. The initial wave was people perhaps in professions, highly skilled, qualified people who could afford to leave early. The later arrivals were those who then became subject to…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Lovely, yes. Ruth.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
You know the skill sets better than me, so—
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. Anecdotally, I attended an event in north Wales, I believe in July, for Ukrainians who’d arrived, and coaches were literally arriving with new people as we were there. But how were officials working with their UK Government colleagues to plan the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Yes, please. Ruth, would you like to elaborate?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you very much. To what extent do you consider that, as officials, you could or should have advised Ministers to pause the scheme at an earlier stage?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Supporting Ukrainians in Wales: evidence session with Welsh Government senior officials
Thank you. It was reported, certainly last year, that Wales had taken a lower proportion per capita than other UK nations. Is that accurate, and if so, why is that the case?
