Commentary on Sections Part 2 – Support for Agriculture Etc Chapter 1 - Welsh Ministers’ power to provide support Section 14 – Impact Report
120.Section 14 sets out the Welsh Ministers’ duty to produce (for each reporting period) an Impact Report in respect of support provided under section 8. The objective behind this is to ensure that every five years there is an evaluation of the impact and effectiveness all support provided during that period pursuant to section 8, including an assessment of how and the extent to which the support has achieved its purposes, and contributed to achieving the SLM objectives.
121.Subsection (2) requires the Impact Report to set out all the purposes for which support has been given under section 8, during the reporting period.
122.Subsection (3) provides that the Impact Report must include an assessment of the impact and effectiveness of support given during the reporting period, including an assessment of: (a) the way in which, and the extent to which, the support has achieved the purposes for which the support was given; and (b) the way in which, and the extent to which, the provision of the support has contributed to achieving the SLM objectives. Setting out the purposes in the way required under subsection (2) aims to highlight the link between support provided and the intended outcome of such support and is aimed at ensuring that the impact and effectiveness of support provided can clearly be measured against the purposes.
123.Subsection (4) provides that the Welsh Ministers may assess and report on any other matters they consider relevant for assessing the impact and effectiveness of support provided during the reporting period. For example, this could include information on whether any actions taken under a support scheme are still suitable, whether they have been achieved; are still in progress; or not actioned, together with any corrective action to remedy the issue. This information may even capture whether the administration of any scheme is fit for purpose.
124.Subsection (5) requires the Welsh Ministers to publish and lay the Impact Report before Senedd Cymru no later than 12 months after the end of each reporting period.
125.Subsection (6) defines the “reporting period” as being, for the first Impact Report, the period from when section 8 comes into force up until 31 December 2029. For subsequent Impact Reports the ‘reporting period’ will be successive periods of five years.
126.Subsection (7) provides the Welsh Ministers with a regulation making power, to amend the reporting period. This may be exercised, for example, in order to align the reporting period with the contract length of schemes under Section 8.