, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Okay. Adam Price, I believe you have some questions.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Mike Hedges.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. I'm going to bring Natasha Asghar in.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Okay, and you also referred a few moments ago to the public bodies unit. What, if any, contact did you have with them during your application and appointments process, before you became aware of them further on?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Thank you very much. You referred to reasonable adjustments and that they made assumptions, but did they come and ask you at the beginning of the process and agree with you what reasonable adjustments should be? Or, as you described it, did it rely on you to…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Of course.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. What, if any, particular sources of information or organisations help you better understand the application process and the role you're applying for? And what if any specific barriers did you encounter in acquiring better understanding of…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed. Well, as you might expect, we have a number of questions for you, so I, as always, ask Members and yourself as the witness to be as succinct as possible to enable us to cover the wide range of issues this topic has generated. I'll…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Public Appointments: Evidence session
Croeso—welcome back to the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee. Welcome to our witness for this evidence session on public appointments. Could I start by asking our witness to state his name and role for the record?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
And if that response is unambiguous, are Members content for the committee then to draft a letter for sending on the basis of that lack of ambiguity? But if it's ambiguous in any way then, as stated, we'll consider what further action we need to take…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
Yes, we can incorporate that into the clarification we're seeking from lawyers. Any idea of timeline for a response from them?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
But the comment is noted and we will pursue it, especially—. And, obviously, the response will be shared with Members, and, if Members have concerns about that response, then we will decide what further action is necessary for us to take.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
Well, if it is equivocated, then I think that might be necessary, but—. Is it something you want to discuss in private?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
We'll see what the advice is.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
We shall see. I suppose whether that course of action will be necessary will be determined by the degree of watertightness of the response you get from Senedd lawyers. But, if needs be, is that an avenue you feel we could pursue?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
Yes. Well, of course, this has happened with a previous report also. We have, or we believe we have, legal powers to use as a last resort, subject to Senedd lawyers, in this case, confirming how best to apply that. But we hope it won't become necessary to…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
Are you happy to pursue? Adam? Yes. Okay. Thank you. No other points there? Great. We've also received a letter from the Welsh Government's director of propriety and ethics to the Chair—myself—regarding the Ernst & Young report on Betsi Cadwaladr University…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
So, you wish us to pursue that.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
I know the UK Government's getting flak at the moment, because, having identified a higher figure, they've only so far recovered a tiny fraction of it, but at least it's in the public realm about how much this is estimated to be.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
As I recall from our original report, there was reference to the UK Government having produced figures, but only one local authority in Wales having carried out the requisite work to identify a figure for them. It was £570,000, I think, which was indicative…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
Thank you. Mike, any comments?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Papers to note
We have papers to note. We have a letter from the Welsh Government's Permanent Secretary to me as Chair regarding our report on the scrutiny of Welsh Government accounts 2020-21. This is in response to the recommendations in our report laid on 27 March. The…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Introductions, apologies and substitutions
Thank you. No other declarations that aren't otherwise on the public record? Thank you very much.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Introductions, apologies and substitutions
Bore da a chroeso. Good morning and welcome to this morning's meeting of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee in the Senedd. Apologies for absence have been received from Rhianon Passmore MS. We're pleased to welcome Adam Price MS, who is…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Accounting practices at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
The Minister refers to the number of organisations in England in special measures but fails to mention that these organisations are not in escalation for long, because NHS England brings in an external expert team to resolve the difficulties. Speaking…
