2. Urgent Question: NSA Afan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:22 pm on 17 January 2017.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 2:22, 17 January 2017

Thank you for that answer, even though it was very brief, Cabinet Secretary. I’ve met with the chief executive and members of the trustees board on several occasions since the announcement to suspend funding on 12 December. My concerns are, perhaps: what was the Welsh Government doing in these audits beforehand? I think, as has been highlighted, it’s a Welsh Government audit. Why wasn’t this spotted earlier? Because there are clear issues there that seem to have been going on for quite a while. But also, there is a funding question as to the point from 1 December to 12 December when suspension occurred. What’s happening to the funding for the delivery of services during that period of time? But, also, what alternatives will be put in place? You’ve suspended funding, but there are people out there waiting to go on programmes who are basically not having access to those programmes, because I understand that NSA Afan has actually suspended its delivery of programmes. And there are staff, as has been pointed out, that are likely to be losing their jobs as a consequence of that. What alternatives are you putting in place or setting up to ensure that those individuals do not pay the price of, perhaps, an investigation that should have spotted something earlier?