, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: The First Minister's first 100 days
I would like to extend my congratulations to the First Minister on a proactive and productive first 100 days in the wake of unfathomable Tory mismanagement, a crippling cost-of-living crisis, shattered public services, a starvation of investment across the UK…
, Plenary
Debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee Report, 'Restoration of opencast mining sites'
I very much welcome the committee's report and its robust recommendations around reclamation and remediation in Wales, as we forge a progressive path towards a low-carbon future. And as the Labour representative of this area in Islwyn, I stand firmly in…
, Plenary
Debate: Remembrance
Diolch. Thank you. It's been withdrawn. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you very much, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Thank you. Finally, in regard to your request for an increase of £10,000 from the WCF associated with staff time relating to your good practice exchange—and these are all great things to do—do you have staff who work exclusively on this? Given the resourcing…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Got you. Thank you. You've requested an additional £30,000 in 2025-26 for the graduate trainee programme. The supporting information outlines increases in staff costs for trainees and apprentices, training, and programme management. Can you provide…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
It's nothing to do with Senedd reform.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
So, that will be the cost for the reduction in timescale then, and that's just in relation to the future generations work.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Right. So, we're clear. Thank you so much. I'm going to move on in terms of more specific funding increases that you've requested. I'll try and whizz through these. They are important, but if you could be brief in your responses, if you can. The supporting…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
So, in regard to budget line allocation, that would be within—I'm trying to unpick what you said—2024-25, is that correct?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you. I'm going to move on to your budget lines that you've allocated for cash for the rent-free period in the new Cardiff office. So, we've seen an increase in the cash requested to cover the end of that rent-free period, but, in the 2024-25…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
And I suppose that the follow-up question, really, is: how dependent is your budget on those savings being delivered?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you. You've estimated a 5 per cent staff turnover. Is there a, or what is the, level of risk associated with that figure, and how dependent is your budget on those savings being delivered, bearing in mind your appointment of senior staff?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Thank you. Just very, very quickly: in terms of the negotiations that you were talking about with trade unions, were those for 2025—obviously, I presume not—or were you talking about last year's negotiations?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
I think Mike wants to come in.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
I'm not going to pursue that, then, as we seem to have got a way forward. As I said, staff pay is a significant point, as you know, in the estimates for 2024-25. This does talk about an inflationary pay uplift for staff. Can you be more specific about what…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Okay. That's the response. Thank you so much. I’m going to move on. Staff pay was a significant point—. Oh, sorry, I think Peter Fox wants to come in, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Fine. So, what I’m still asking is, you know in advance then that you will be able to sustain those staff on fees that you’ve not yet collected. Is that a correct interpretation?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Okay. So, my question really, and I’m sorry to labour the point, is that you say they will be met from fees, but I’m just trying to get a picture as to how much you can predict that fee to be able to sustain an additionality in staff costing. Because you’ve…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
I’ll repeat my question, I wasn’t clear, I’m sorry. So, you say, the estimate says, the increase in staff—in staff—will be entirely met from fees. So, my question relates to the increase in staff.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
In regard to the increase in staff being met entirely from fees, is that something that you can retrospectively predict, and what happens if it isn’t?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
So, ‘It’s the net increase for cash during the year’ is the response, yes? Yes. Okay. Thank you very much. I might have to come back to that. I’m going to go on to my questioning, then, in terms of the estimates for 2025-26. You talk about staff costs linked…
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
But that doesn't really help me. In terms of £109,000, what is the—? I can understand the context and the background, but what is the £109,000 for?
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
I've got that, yes.
, Finance Committee
Audit Wales - Scrutiny of the Estimate 2025-26 and Interim Report: Evidence session
Thank you very much. Just for clarity—apologies if I've missed this—the £109,000 increase in cash, or the 1.2 per cent, for 2025-26, could that just be elaborated upon, as to what that is for? I'm not quite clear that I've got that from your previous…
