Clause 12 - Local government bodies in Wales
Public Audit (Wales) Bill [Lords]
10:45 am
Mr Bill Wiggin (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Local and Devolved Government Affairs; Leominster, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 3, in clause 12, page 12, line 7, leave out 'or substantially'.
Our discussions on this amendment should be quick because it deals with a subject that we have already covered. I am glad that the Committee has been proceeding with a degree of humour—who says that audit is humourless? Amendment No. 3 would delete from clause 12(3)(b) the words ''or substantially'', which also appear in clause 1(2)(b). The phrase ''substantially funded'' is too vague and has a wide-ranging interpretation. What exactly is meant by
''substantially funded from public money''?
Will the Minister clarify what private sector bodies might be included under paragraph (b) as being substantially funded from public money? I know that he dealt with that question earlier, but this is an important subject and I am sure that he will clarify the situation for anyone with doubts over what ''substantially'' adds to the Bill.