Meetings

PAC(4)-10-16 Paper 4

5.1 Members considered and subject to a small number of minor amendments, agreed the Committee’s Legacy Report.

3.1 The Committee considered and agreed its draft report subject to minor changes.

Paper 4 – Draft report

Responses on budget scrutiny

Paper 5 – Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales – 27 November 2015

Paper 6 – Letter from the Presiding Officer, National Assembly for Wales – 2 December 2015

Paper 7 – Letter from the Auditor General for Wales – 3 December 2015

Paper 8 – Letter from Minister for Finance and Government Business – 11 January 2016

Response on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

Paper 9 – Letter from Minister for Finance and Government Business – 30 November 2015

Responses from committee chairs

Paper 10 – Letter from Chair of Enterprise and Business Committee – 9 December 2015

Paper 11 – Letter from Chair of Children and Young People Committee – 17 December 2015

Responses from expert advisers

Paper 12 – Letter from Lakshmi Narain – 1 December 2015

Paper 13 – Letter from Ian Summers – 7 December 2015

Paper 14 – Letter from Angela Scott – 7 December 2015

5.1 The Committee agreed the draft report with minor changes.

SOC(4)-04-16 Paper 1

4.1 The report was agreed.

7.1 The Committee discussed the Draft Report on Committee Legacy.

The Committee considered the draft report.  Subject to a few minor amendments, the Committee agreed the report.

3.1 The Committee discussed and agreed its draft legacy report, subject to minor alterations.

Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister

The Committee scrutinised the First Minister on topics discussed in previous meetings during the 4^th Assembly.

The First Minister agreed to write to the Committee with further information:

·         comparing the proportion of applicants for public appointments from under-represented groups with the proportion of actual appointments from these groups;

·         regarding the effectiveness of the methods used to encourage applications from within those groups.

The Committee discussed the evidence received during the earlier scrutiny session and agreed to write to the First Minister, setting out a number of observations and recommendations.

SOC(4)-03-16 Paper 6 – Fourth Assembly Committee Legacy key issues

7.1 Members considered the paper and agreed to return to this issue at the next meeting.

5.1 The Committee discussed the priorities for the successor Committee.

The Committee discussed its approach to the legacy report. 

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

Sir Derek Jones – Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government

Marion Stapleton – Head of the First Minister's Delivery Unit and the Legislation Programme and Governance Unit, Welsh Government

Andrew Hobden – Economist, Welsh Government

Paper 1 – Paper from Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government – 20 January 2016

Paper 2 – Letter from Minister for Finance and Government Business – 25 November 2015

Paper 3 – Letter from Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government – 26 November 2015

Research brief

3.1 The Committee took evidence from: Sir Derek Jones – Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government; Marion Stapleton – Head of the First Minister's Delivery Unit and the Legislation Programme and Governance Unit, Welsh Government; and Andrew Hobden – Economist, Welsh Government, regarding the Regulatory Impact Assessments produced by the Welsh Government over the course of the Fourth Assembly as part of its legacy inquiry.

CLA(4)-02-16 - Paper 9 – Legacy Paper

Siân Wilkins presented a draft of the Legacy report for Board to consider the implications of discussions that were taking place in Business Committee, which were likely to affect formal Assembly business in the Fifth Assembly. Any changes suggested to the business week, that the new Business Committee might adopt, were likely to take effect from September 2016 and would impact on staff, resources and the use of the estate.  Much would depend on how strong a steer the new Presiding Officer chose to give and the makeup of the new Business Committee.

The Board agreed that consideration would need to be given to staff resourcing and linked to the current capacity planning work, for example, around longer working weeks, or shorter recesses. Consistent communication was also needed in relation to the current constraints and the need for a greater number of Members.

Action: Heads of service to ensure their staff are aware of the implications of the suggestions within the Legacy report.

8.1 The Committee considered and agreed its approach.

5.3.1 The paper was noted by the Committee

The Committee is invited to consider a redrafted version of its draft letter to the Business Committee.

The Committee considered the redrafted version of its draft letter to the Business Committee.

The Committee is invited to consider whether it wishes to respond to the Finance Committee’s consultation.

6.1 The Committee considered responding to the Finance Committee’s consultation.

7.1 Members of the Committee agreed the draft letter to the Finance Committee

Paper 4 – Draft chapter: NHS Finance (Wales) Act 2014

Paper 5 – Draft chapter: Finance Wales

8.1 The Committee agreed both the draft chapters.

6.2a The Committee noted the correspondence.

9.1 The Committee considered the correspondence received and agreed to respond to the Finance Committee’s consultation.

7.1 Committee Members considered the draft letter.

CYPE(4)-29-15 – Private paper 2

CYPE(4)-29-15 – Private paper 3

The Committee discussed the forward work programme and considered a paper on legacy work.  They agreed the approach to the follow-up work on adoption and agreed to so some follow-up work on the report into Neonatal care and CAMHS.

CLA(4)-29-15 – Paper 14 – Draft Letter to Business Committee regarding legacy work

E&S(4)-32-15 Paper 1

3.1 Members discussed the response to the Business Committee’s consultation on the Fourth Assembly Legacy

8.1 The Committee discussed the correspondence from the Business Committee on Fourth Assembly Legacy.

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.

Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services

Dr Andrew Goodall, Director General for Health/NHS Chief Executive, Health and Social Services Group, Welsh Government

Leighton Phillips, Deputy Director of Strategy and Planning, Welsh Government

Martin Sollis, Director of Finance, Welsh Government

Paper 1 – Overview of progress in implementing the National Health Service Finance (Wales) Act 2014

Research briefing

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Mark Drakeford AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, Dr Andrew Goodall, Director General for Health/NHS Chief Executive, Leighton Phillips, Deputy Director of Strategy and Planning, and Martin Sollis, Director of Finance, Welsh Government.

Paper 10 – Draft letter

7.1 The Committee agreed the draft letter.

6.1 The Committee agreed to consider the correspondence in more detail and respond to the Business Committee after the half-term recess.

5.3a The Committee noted the correspondence.

Paper 1 – Approach to scrutiny

6.1 The Committee agreed the approach to scrutiny.

Paper 6 – Letter to Chair of Finance Committee from Presiding Officer

9.1 The Committee agreed to reconsider the issue at the meeting scheduled for 5 November 2015.

CLA(4)-24-15 – Paper 9 – Review of Committee Working, February 2014

CLA(4)-24-15 – Paper 10 – Mid-term Review

CLA(4)-24-15 – Paper 11 – Subordinate legislation made by Welsh Ministers under Assembly Acts

Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Public Services

Owain Lloyd, Deputy Director, Reforming Local Government, Welsh Government

Bon Westcott, Deputy Head of Community Safety, Welsh Government

6.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Leighton Andrews AM, Minister for Public Services

·         Owain Lloyd, Deputy Director, Reforming Local Government, Welsh Government

·         Bon Westcott, Deputy Head of Community Safety, Welsh Government

Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty

John Howells, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Amelia John, Deputy Director, Fairer Futures, Welsh Government

Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance and Government Business

Jeff Andrews, Specialist Policy Adviser, Welsh Government

Jo Salway, Deputy Director, Strategic Budgeting, Welsh Government

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty

·         John Howells, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

·         Amelia John, Deputy Director, Fairer Futures, Welsh Government

·         Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Finance and Government Business

·         Jo Salway, Deputy Director, Strategic Budgeting, Welsh Government

3.2 Peter Black AM declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         He is a local councillor.

3.3 During the meeting, the Minister agreed to

·         Write to the Committee by March 2016 to provide information on the outcome of the task force group’s work considering:

- how to improve the performance of home adaptation services;

- how to ensure the effective evaluation and performance monitoring of all adaptation services, not just Disabled Facilities Grants.

·         Suggest that the Minister for Natural Resources share any planning work undertaken on the viability of forestry commission land in relation to housing development with the Committee.

·         Provide information on the amount of land released for housing in the last two years, and how much is likely to be released in the forthcoming two years. 

8.1 The Committee discussed the evidence.

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence.

Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales

Bethan Webb, Deputy Director, Welsh Language, Welsh Government

Awen Penri, Head of Welsh In Education Development Branch, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales

·         Bethan Webb, Deputy Director, Welsh Language, Welsh Government

·         Awen Penri, Head of Welsh In Education Development Branch, Welsh Government

2.2 Mike Hedges AM declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         His daughter attends a Welsh-medium school and youth organisations which receive funding from Menter Iaith. She is also involved in the Urdd.

2.3 Peter Black AM declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         He is a member of a local education authority.

6.1 The Committee discussed the paper on Fourth Assembly Committees.

Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism

Manon Antoniazzi, Director of Tourism, Heritage & Sport, Welsh Government

Kate Clark, Director, CADW

Natasha Hale, Deputy Director of Sectors & Business, Welsh Government

Linda Tomos, Director, Museums & Library Division, Welsh Government

2.1 Mike Hedges declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         He is President of Morriston Ladies Choir, patron of Morriston RFC Choir, supporter of Morriston Orpheus Choir, President of Ynystawe AFC, Vice President of Morriston Town AFC, member of Morriston RFC, and supporter of Glais, Birchgrove and Bonymaen RFC.

2.2 Peter Black declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

·         He is a Member of the City and County of Swansea.

2.3 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism

·         Kate Clark, Director, CADW

·         Natasha Hale, Deputy Director of Sector and Business, Welsh Government 

·         Jon Westlake - Head of the Sport Division

2.4 During the meeting, the Deputy Minister agreed to provide the Committee with a copy of the recently agreed Memorandum of Understanding between the Welsh and UK Governments relating the BBC Charter review. The Deputy Minister also agreed to provide further information on the following:

·         Welsh Government work on best practice across Europe regarding alternative methods of levering in funding for the arts; related to this, the Deputy Minister said he would ask the Arts Council for Wales to provide a briefing paper for Members responding in part to this work;

·         details of the anticipated report by the Arts Council for Wales resulting from its current assessment of the impact of funding for, and performance of, Arts and Business Cymru; 

·         details of vacant/unoccupied listed chapels and churches, by grading, and cemeteries/burial sites;

·         further information about the Barcelona example cited in relation to arrangements for dealing with vacant listed buildings, including the availability of powers for the issuing of fines;

·         the roles and responsibilities of the Historic Environment Group, the Advisory Board for the Welsh Historic Environment, and the Wales Heritage Group.

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence.

8.1 The Committee considered and agreed its approach to its Fourth Assembly legacy work.

Paper 3 – Legacy inquiry

7.1 The Committee agreed to undertake a legacy inquiry.