Major projects body has achieved very little, say AMs

The commission's role includes advising on the sort of road schemes Wales might need in future

Serious concerns have been raised about a body set up to oversee major building and transport projects in Wales.

An assembly committee said it appeared the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) had achieved "very little" since was set up last year, other than appointing an expert panel.

Committee chair Russell George raised concerns about staffing, transparency and the independence of the commission.

Ministers said a "strong team of commissioners" had now been appointed.

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Established in 2018, the NICW was set-up as an "independent, non-statutory, advisory body to Welsh Ministers, whose key purpose will be to analyse, advise and make recommendations on Wales' longer term strategic economic and environment infrastructure needs over a five to 30 year period".

It is run by 12 commissioners, including interim chair John Lloyd Jones who is scheduled to continue in the role until December 2019.

The Welsh Government is in the process of selecting a long-term chair.

Following the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee's first annual scrutiny session with Mr Jones in July, Mr George sent a letter to Welsh Government' Housing Minister Julie James "to share concerns around the strategic direction and progress, transparency and public accessibility, and level of resources of the commission".

Mr George said the commission's plan to "publish a state of the nation paper by 2022" - four years after the creation of the commission - "lacks ambition".

He also said in the letter that the "committee was surprised, and disappointed, by the apparent lack of urgency from the commission around placing key documents such as a register of interests online and developing public facing content for the website that explains the role, aims and objectives of the commission".

Russell George says the commission must be "independent and free of political influence"

Mr George goes on to say "it seems clear the issues identified have been compounded by a lack of staff", although the committee "was pleased to hear that two new members of staff" had been appointed recently.

On concern about the NICW's independence from the Welsh Government, the letter says: "Currently commission staff are line managed by Welsh government civil servants.

"Whilst Adrian Davies, a commission official who accompanied the chair to the session, assured the committee his Welsh Government line manager understands the importance of and supports his role's independence the committee is concerned that this line management structure could cause conflict in the future if that understanding was absent."

"To meet its purpose the commission must be independent and free of political influence," it adds.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "This is an important commission to look at our long-term infrastructure needs.

"It was always intended the first annual report would be produced in November.

"Following a public appointments exercise a strong team of commissioners have been appointed, bringing credibility and influence to the task of providing advice and recommendations on infrastructure in Wales."