Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:45 pm on 6 March 2019.
Thank you, Minister. When I asked your predecessor—you referred to the statement—now sitting on your left—sitting there anyway—about Welsh Government plans for the future of the NPS—physically, that is—in October 2018, he told me that customers felt that
'a collective approach to public procurement in Wales was better secured through a strengthened regional tier'— you've just alluded to that—
'rather than discharging things at a national level'.
And consequently, the
'NPS will not continue in its current format, and it will migrate to being an organisation with a stronger regional and local presence, and an organisation that is better placed to make sure that those organisations across Wales that spend public money are well equipped to respond to the new opportunities' ahead. Minister, specifically, how do you see the public procurement regime in Wales working in future on the regional basis that you've just mentioned? How will that regional base be supported, and how will those plans dovetail with the new approach to regional economic development, as outlined in the Welsh Government's economic action plan?