Janet Finch-Saunders

First Minister, in the allocation of Welsh Government funding grants to our businesses and our organisations, one hopes that there are sufficient checks and monitoring process on the use of our taxpayers’ money. Now, questions have arisen recently over Kukd, Kancoat and the AWEMA scandal, and I am aware of £900,000 in north Wales where two directors of a bus company faced criminal action, actually. I’m also aware of 10 to 12 cases under investigation now on how the money has been used—funding that they’ve had from this Government. How can I reassure my constituents in Aberconwy that you do take these matters very seriously, and that in all financial transactions between you and any organisations or businesses, they can feel confident that you will always maintain strict financial probity at the heart of Welsh Government funding and the use of our taxpayers’ money? 

Carwyn Jones - First Minister

That’s a perfectly fair question, and the answer I give is this: as I said, we have a counter-fraud unit headed by a retired police officer with experience of leading economic crime and proceeds of crime recovery units. He’s also a member of the organising committee for the Wales Fraud Forum. It’s also supported by administration staff. The unit is not a big unit, but it does play a leadership role and draws on considerable support from all audit, assurance and finance professionals. Is it possible to prevent all crime? No, clearly. But what is important is that that crime is detected, investigated and prosecuted, and the fact that there have been instances of investigation is a sign, I hope, that the Member can see that we do take all allegations of fraud seriously, and they are investigated and indeed prosecuted where that’s appropriate.