Clause 10 - Accounting officer
Public Audit (Wales) Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr Bill Wiggin (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Local and Devolved Government Affairs; Leominster, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 45, in page 9, line 18, at end insert
'for no more than three months'.
The amendment is based on discussions in another place about why the clause is worded as it is. It is a probing amendment to ascertain how long the office of the Auditor General could be left vacant or how long the post could be filled by a temporary replacement, while the Auditor General is incapable of discharging his duties, before the temporary appointee becomes permanent, and is therefore appointed by the Crown as opposed to the Audit Commission. There is a need to specify a time scale in the Auditor General's absence, and that is the sole purpose of the amendment. Three months is an acceptable period, but that may not fit in with the Government's views. However, instead of opposing my amendment, I hope that they will recognise its value and that if they are not happy with the time frame of three months, they will change it.