Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon and thank you to you, Llywydd, for the opportunity to make this statement today.

Members may be aware that there has been a significant delay in signing off the Welsh Government’s 2020-21 annual accounts. To provide context, the previous Public Accounts Committee would usually undertake detailed scrutiny of these accounts annually during the autumn term, and we had hoped to continue with this in the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee during this term. To provide context, as I've said, this has always occurred. 

The Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee was informally made aware last summer by both the Welsh Government and the Auditor General for Wales that the Welsh Government’s accounts for 2020-21 may be finalised later than usual. We were told that the delay was due to the additional work being undertaken by Audit Wales on support to business grants provided by Welsh Government. This, we understood, was a complex matter that needed further review and discussion between the auditor general and the Welsh Government. However, at that time, we expected the accounts to be finalised no later than November 2021, which is within the statutory time frame for doing so. Yes, 'statutory'; this is bound by law. Towards the end of November, we were alerted to a further delay, when the Welsh Government needed to advise Audit Wales of a potential post-balance-sheet event in order to ensure full transparency.