8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. Ben, do you want to continue?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Okay, perhaps before you continue that, Ben, Cai, was there something you wanted to pick up on this as well?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Thank you. We're going to continue looking back at the report, the annual report as well. So, Ben, do you want to continue that?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Sure. Please, yes.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Huw.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
That seems absolutely sensible. I guess there's also the side where it is a useful tool to support people in appropriately complaining about areas where they may feel either ill informed or less confident in how to structure a complaint. So, there are some…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Thank you. Just a couple more quick points, then. You mentioned how you're seeing AI-assisted complaints, perhaps, from complainants. What can you do about that?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
And do you think a significant element of that is the culture within the organisation? I guess the first point of complaint could be with somebody right at the front line and if they feel empowered to handle that and deal with it appropriately, then there's a…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Thanks. And in terms of the complaint handling you referred to, I guess you would probably say it's a bit of a false economy if health boards in particular are cutting back on how complaints are resourced, because I expect if they are handled poorly, the cost…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Can I just come back to that point? You're absolutely right, I'm sure there is pressure, but how much of the source of the complaint is avoidable, I guess, is a factor, isn't it? I think we would acknowledge pressure in all sorts of roles in life. I guess…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Okay, we may come on to that a bit further on, on some of the AI points. But just going back to the broader increase in complaints being reported, a significant proportion of that is in health-related complaints. Do you think health boards have taken enough…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Thanks. And what do you think is driving the increase in case load?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Great. It's lovely to have you with us here today. We have a couple of hours to run through these items. We'll make the most of that time, as we go through. Just a reminder that simultaneous interpretation is available throughout this and we are being…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Bore da. Good morning, pawb. Welcome back to our Finance Committee, 8 October. We're on agenda item 6, which is an evidence session on the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales's annual report and accounts 2025-26 and the estimate for 2027-28. The membership of…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from items 5, 7 and 8 of the meeting, and from the entirety of the meeting on 22 October
The next item on our agenda, Members, is item 4, a motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from items 5, 7 and 8, under Standing Order 17.42(ix) and from the entirety of the meeting on 22 October. Are Members content with that?…
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Yes, I appreciate that so much. That's the end of that item there, Members, so thank you for your time; I appreciate it.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Thank you so much. The time has gone, and I appreciate the response you've given the committee today. There are a few bits we're going to follow up, and I'll allow the clerks to make sure that they communicate in terms of what's expected to come back.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Okay. And one more question from you, Elfed.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Yes. Happy?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
But, from a value-for-money point of view, I think you were right to raise that here as well. Elfed, do you want to come in and then we'll go—? I'm going to keep you for a few minutes over, if that's okay. I appreciate your patience with this. Elfed.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
That's great. I think the opportunity for Cai, perhaps, to pick this up would be very helpful, elsewhere, as well.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Do you want to come in on this point in particular, Cai?
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Yes, understood. Elfed.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Yes, but we've survived pretty well for 20-odd years with the oversubscription year on year.
8 October 2026 , Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
I think it's quite hard for us to understand why the same amount is required when half the building that the Senedd estate uses is not going to be needed in that time. So, I think it's something to reflect on further, perhaps.
