, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Okay, thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
—is a new and different role. Starting from when?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
So, the current role that is being undertaken—
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Sorry, Chair, can I just ask, just for clarity, is this a new role, or is this a continuing role?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
So, that would be useful to get some clarity on.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Sorry, I think, Chair, that it's not just about being accepted, it's whether it was part of a deal that you would nominate, or a party would nominate, the mediator. So, we're just seeking some clarity on that, that there was authority given—
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Thank you, Chair.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
And we have been told that there was definitive advice that this could have cost two or three times more if it had gone to tribunal.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
And finally, then, in terms of wider public interest and our involvement as a committee, does the Welsh Government think the settlement agreement for the former director general provides value for money for the public purse, particularly given that 'Managing…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
I presume, then, that you are satisfied with the terms and conditions of the settlement.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
So, we're talking Queen's Counsel advice, yes?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
I'm very ready to. The museum told the committee it was limited in the information it could share about the settlement agreement with the former director general, since, if reopened, it could expose it to unlimited financial liability. Why wasn't legal advice…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Thank you. Shall I go on to my next question, Chair, or—?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
I don't know, I'm asking you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
So, you don't see any need for a separation of roles there, or any potential conflict of interest, very briefly, before the Chair cuts me off.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Okay. I'm going to move on. In terms of the role of the Welsh Government's director of human resources—who was one of the signatories, I believe, of the heads of terms and settlement agreement and was also involved in the mediation process, I understand, so…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Thank you, Chair. Do you think that bringing forward the tailored review was the correct response to the concerns raised around governance?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Okay.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Okay. So that’s what I’m trying to understand and unpick. So, in terms of this precedent that's happened, and in terms of rolling out new practice, what have you learned?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
So, you would put that eight-month delay from that letter about expedition of the situation down to the submission of grievances, et cetera.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Because just because something hasn't happened yet, this is not uncommon; it might not have happened yet in our basket, but it does happen. So, just for reassurance, we have a process in place now, yes?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
And can I stop you there? My understanding from previous witnesses is that this precedent has now been thematically looked at in terms of how it is approached across our other arm's-length bodies.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
I accept that.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
It would be interesting for this committee to test out how that process worked previously. So, that would be useful for us. So, I'm going to move on, then, in regard to, I suppose, the pace of intervention and communication between Welsh Government and…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Evidence Session with the Welsh Government: Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales
Can you articulate what those concerns were? Can you recall?
