Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019

Accounting officer

19 (1) The Ombudsman is the accounting officer for the office of the Ombudsman.

(2) If the Ombudsman is incapable of discharging the Ombudsman’s responsibilities as accounting officer, the Audit Committee may designate a member of the Ombudsman’s staff to be the accounting officer for as long as the Ombudsman is so incapable.

(3) If the office of the Ombudsman is vacant and there is no acting Ombudsman, the Audit Committee may designate a member of the Ombudsman’s staff to be the accounting officer for as long as the office of the Ombudsman is vacant and there is no acting Ombudsman.

(4) The accounting officer has, in relation to the accounts and the finances of the Ombudsman, the responsibilities which are from time to time specified by the Audit Committee.

(5) In this paragraph references to responsibilities include in particular—

(a) responsibilities in relation to the signing of accounts,

(b) responsibilities for the propriety and regularity of the finances of the Ombudsman, and

(c) responsibilities for the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the resources of the Ombudsman are used.

(6) The responsibilities which may be specified under this paragraph include responsibilities owed to—

(a) the Assembly, the Welsh Ministers or the Audit Committee, or

(b) the House of Commons or its Committee of Public Accounts.

(7) If requested to do so by the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, the Audit Committee may—

(a) on behalf of the Committee of Public Accounts take evidence from the accounting officer, and

(b) report to the Committee of Public Accounts and transmit to that Committee any evidence so taken.