Public Audit (Wales) Bill [Lords]

Mr Don Touhig (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales), Department for Constitutional Affairs; Islwyn, Labour/Co-operative)

I beg to move,

That the Public Audit (Wales) Bill [Lords] be considered in the following order: Clauses 1 to 50, Schedule 1, Clauses 51 to 66, Schedule 2, Clauses 67 and 68, Schedule 3, Clauses 69 to 72, Schedule 4, Clauses 73 to 75, New Clauses, New Schedules, remaining proceedings on the Bill.

We have had a meeting of the Programming Sub-Committee, and it agreed to the motion. I am pleased that you are in the Chair, Mr. Griffiths; I have been fortunate enough in my time as a Minister to serve on several Committees that you have chaired. Some have considered important legislation for Wales, and your knowledge and insight about Wales, as a Welsh MP and former Welsh Office Minister, have been invaluable. We are fortunate that you are chairing the Committee, because your help, advice, humour and patience will greatly aid our scrutiny of this important legislation. I have no doubt that we will make good progress in debating the Bill, and we will look to you for guidance and help to get through it as expeditiously as possible.

Mr Bill Wiggin (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Local and Devolved Government Affairs; Leominster, Conservative)

I echo the Minister's kind comments, because he is absolutely right. I hope that he will continue to be kind and generous with his comments throughout our debates. His important point was about what a tremendous Chairman we have in you, Mr. Griffiths, and how lucky we have been to have you chairing our debates not only on various pieces of Welsh legislation, but in the Welsh Grand Committee, where you have guided us wisely. We are delighted to have you with us this morning.

Mr Roger Williams (Shadow Minister (Rural Affairs), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Brecon and Radnorshire, Liberal Democrat)

Good morning, Mr. Griffiths. Thank you for chairing this Standing Committee, and as previous speakers have said, we look forward to your guidance. As Wales is such a busy place, some of us will be darting back and forth between this Committee and the Welsh Affairs Committee, so I offer my apologies for that.

Question put and agreed to.

Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend, Labour)

Before we start debating the Bill, I remind the Committee that there is a money resolution in connection with the Bill, and copies of the resolution are available in the Room. I also remind Members that adequate notice should be given of any amendments. As a general rule, I do not intend to call starred

amendments, including starred amendments that may be reached during an afternoon sitting of the Committee.