Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:15 pm on 24 January 2017.
Janet Finch-Saunders
Conservative
2:15,
24 January 2017
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?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
