Clause 5 - Studies relating to registered social landlords
Public Audit (Wales) Bill [Lords]
10:15 am
Mr Don Touhig (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales), Department for Constitutional Affairs; Islwyn, Labour/Co-operative)
This is the largest group of amendments, and I am sure that the debate on them will last for several hours. Perhaps not—[Laughter.] Colleagues did ask for some humour—I tried.
Amendments Nos. 14 and 15 should be considered together. They would enable the Auditor General to undertake programmes of study in respect of registered social landlords in Wales at his discretion and independently of agreement with the Assembly. That is irrespective of the fact that he does not have a statutory audit function for registered social landlords. Hon. Members may already have seen the letter that I wrote to one of the Conservative members of the Committee after Second Reading.