Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Later this week, on 20 July, Huw Vaughan Thomas CBE will complete his last day in office as the Auditor General for Wales. I'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on his tenure as auditor general and to express thanks to him for his contributions to public life.

Huw was appointed auditor general in 2010, bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise from his long and successful career across the public sector. He's proved to be an excellent appointee. Huw took to his role with many challenges ahead, starting with the difficult circumstances he inherited following incidents at the Wales Audit Office prior to his appointment. One of his first challenges was to present proposals to strengthen the governance and accountability of the organisation and oversee a period of organisational and cultural change. This he did with determination, and, following an internal review, he introduced a set of new governance arrangements, which restored public confidence and transformed the culture at the Wales Audit Office.

This period of change within Huw's term of office also saw the implementation of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013, which further strengthened and improved the accountability and governance arrangements of the AGW and the WAO, while preserving and protecting the independence and objectivity of the AGW. The introduction in 2014 of the Wales Audit Office board further strengthened governance of the WAO and even up until most recently Huw has been overseeing significant changes in culture and working practices, including recent investments in data analytics. As Huw comes to the end of his career, he has planted the seeds for the next generation of auditors, with investments in finance trainees and apprenticeships, inspiring maybe a future auditor general. During his term of office, Huw has been at the forefront of improving public services and securing value for money for the taxpayer. His role as auditor general has been crucial and influential, the driving force and heart of good governance and accountability. Under Huw's leadership, during times of renewed austerity and increased focus on public finances and challenge on how that money is spent, he has delivered.

Huw has always championed the importance of independent public audit in supporting effective scrutiny of the Welsh Government, not just in holding the Government to account, but also providing vital insights and supporting improvements. As auditor general, Huw has overseen the publication of numerous hard-hitting reports. These reports have shone a light on poor governance and the inefficient use of public money, and I specifically refer to some of Huw's most influential reports: in 2011, his special inspection report on Anglesey County Council, which resulted in commissioners being sent in by the Welsh Government to take over the operation of the council—a first for the UK; his report in 2012 on AWEMA, which, together with other audit reports, prompted wholesale changes to the Welsh Government's management of its £2.6 billion annual grants expenditure; his joint review in 2013 with Healthcare Inspectorate Wales of the governance arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr UHB, which was a precursor to the health board being placed in special measures; his 2015 report on the regeneration investment fund for Wales, which sold public land at a significant undervalue, potentially losing the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds; and his first public interest report on an NHS body in 2017 in relation to Cardiff and Vale UHB's mismanagement of a consultancy contract.

Such reports, although sobering to read, have been crucial in identifying areas that need strengthening and driving forward improvements to Welsh Government decision making and how public services are delivered. The importance of this cannot be understated. This independent audit is supported through parliamentary scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee, which has worked closely with Huw over his term of office to maximise the impact of his work in holding the Welsh Government and other relevant organisations to account. Huw has been a constant source of support and advice to the committee, enhancing our work, and, increasingly, AGW reports have been used to inform the work of other Assembly committees, an excellent example of which is the Finance Committee's consideration of reports on fiscal preparedness.

In more recent times, Huw has also been pivotal to the implementation of the future generations Act of 2015. The Act requires the auditor general to report on the extent to which public bodies have applied the sustainable development principle to the way they set their objectives and the steps they're taking to meet those objectives. Huw has recently published his year 1 commentary report on how public bodies have responded to the Act, which identifies a number of emerging good practices across Wales for others to draw upon. The hard work and commitment demonstrated by Huw has been recognised with him being awarded a CBE in the 2018 Queen's birthday honours for services to public audit and accountability in Wales, and we extend our congratulations to Huw on this special achievement.

This recognition of Huw's outstanding contribution to public life consolidates a lifelong commitment to public life. He's been an auditor general who has not been afraid to say it like it is when necessary, and he leaves office with an excellent record, having served the people of Wales as auditor general for the last eight years. Huw, you've led with integrity and will leave a lasting legacy of renewed public confidence in public audit and accountability. We wish you well in the future. Diolch yn fawr.