Ken Skates AC/AM

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport

Nick Ramsay AM

Chair

Public Accounts Committee

National Assembly for Wales

09 May 2018 

Dear Nick

Thank you for your letter of 15 March 2018 requesting a copy of the Cabinet paper from 27 June 2017 relating to the Circuit of Wales project.

The Welsh Government recognises the important role which the Public Accounts Committee plays in helping ensure the maintenance of high standards in public life in Wales and we try to assist the Committee in its in work in any way we reasonably can.  I also acknowledge the assurances which you provided in your letter about how you would treat the confidentiality of the paper itself.

I have considered your request carefully and consulted with the First Minister on this matter, however, and we do not feel that we can agree to release of the paper.  The First Minister and I are satisfied that key officials were aware of the relevant facts in preparing the advice set out in the Cabinet paper, and the latter was sufficiently comprehensive for my Cabinet colleagues and I to reach a firm decision on the project.  While I appreciate that ideally the Committee would wish to see the paper itself as part of its work, we have concluded that the normal conventions about withholding sensitive Cabinet papers in order to protect the privacy of Government policy and commercial discussions should still apply in this case.

I am sorry to send what I know will be a disappointing response and I hope your Committee will understand the reasons why we feel unable to agree to the request.

Yours sincerely 

Ken Skates AC/AM

Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth

Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport

Canolfan Cyswllt Cyntaf / First Point of Contact Centre:  

Bae Caerdydd • Cardiff Bay                                                                                          0300 0604400

Caerdydd • Cardiff                                                    Gohebiaeth.Ken.Skates@llyw.cymru

CF99 1NA                                            Correspondence.Ken.Skates@gov.wales

Rydym yn croesawu derbyn gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg.  Byddwn yn ateb gohebiaeth a dderbynnir yn Gymraeg yn Gymraeg ac ni fydd gohebu yn Gymraeg yn arwain at oedi. 

We welcome receiving correspondence in Welsh.  Any correspondence received in Welsh will be answered in Welsh and corresponding in Welsh will not lead to a delay in responding.