Terms of reference

The role of the group will be to provide advice, feedback and evidence from an equalities and inclusion perspective, to Welsh Government, to ensure that budget and tax processes improve over the longer term to better align funding to outcomes including:

• informing reforms to the way impact assessments are undertaken on strategic spending decisions to better embed all areas of impact including equality, socio economic disadvantage and the way nature and carbon impacts are considered
• ensuring that budget engagement and impact assessments fully consider lived experiences, maximise civic participation and engage with relevant partners, to ensure the social partnership duty is fulfilled where reasonably practical
• taking a comprehensive approach to mainstreaming equalities and human rights objectives into budget and tax processes and decisions, including ensuring that the Programme for Government commitment to implementing targets around Gender Budgeting is achieved, to understand the intersectional nature between social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts and fully consider intended and unintended impacts
• embedding the 5 ways of working as defined in the Well Being of Future Generations Act, in addition to the Sustainable Development principle, in any spending decisions
• ensuring processes and documentation are fully transparent and clearly communicate the expected impacts of spending decisions
• contributing to Welsh Government’s well-being objectives to create a more equal Wales by ensuring social, environmental and economic justice at the heart of all Welsh Government spending decisions to improve the well-being of everyone in Wales. This is in addition to supporting our natural environment in a sustainable way and create an economy that tackles inequality and poverty in all its forms.

This work will strengthen and improve the advice given to ministers when making spending and tax decisions with the aim of this leading to improved outcomes.

Primarily the group is intended to support delivery of the Welsh Government Budget Improvement Plan which is updated annually and provide the group with opportunities to input and influence the work outlined within the plan. The 2024 to 2025 plan can be found here.

The group’s annual work plan can be found in Annex 2.

The group will not:

• provide a forum for discussion of or influencing specific funding decisions or allocations unless in relation to the work of the Budget Improvement Plan
• be a mechanism for seeking funding, other than for providing appropriate budget engagement
• be directly linked to specific budget years/rounds

The membership of the group will ensure the involvement and collaboration of stakeholders who will bring expertise and experience from a range of areas to support a more integrated approach in reviewing these processes. Alongside expertise in particular techniques this group is also intended to cover representatives of key areas of impact that are considered as part of budget processes, to ensure those impacted by budget decisions are involved in the improvement to these processes while avoiding unintended impacts.

It will work to remove silo thinking where possible and allow a more holistic discussion to take place when considering how impact is assessed and communicated.

The membership will seek to be formed to ensure representation covering each of the following areas:

• Children and Young people
• Health
• Older People
• Future Generations Representative
• Disability
• Trade Union and Social Partnership
• Gender
• Local Government
• Race
• Local and Regional Intermediaries
• Asylum Seekers and Refugees
• Third Sector Partnership Council
• Faith & Belief
• Welsh Language
• LGBTQ+
• Welsh Government Treasury
• Transgender
• Welsh Government Equalities Team
• Environment
• Welsh Government Communities Team
• Poverty
• Equality & Human Rights

In addition to the core membership a representative of the Statutory Commissioners offices will be offered a place to attend on a rotational basis, if they should wish to do so.

The group will periodically review the membership to ensure it is sufficiently representative to achieve its aims.

Members will be asked to agree to a list of expectations in relation to their participation in the group (detailed in Annex 1) and also detail other fora they will link with to share information and gain feedback from their specific area of representation.

Experts, academics and other Welsh Government representatives can be invited into meetings where the membership feel it is of relevance.

A full list of members can be found in Annex 3.

The secretariat for the group will be provided by Welsh Governments Budget Improvement team within Welsh Treasury and will be chaired by the Head of Budget Policy and Delivery.

A nominated representative from the non- statutory sector can provide additional support and advice as required or raise any issues from the group as a collective to the chair outside of the core meeting timetable. This could include deputising for the chair in the case of any absence. All members are encouraged to engage with the Welsh Government Budget Improvement Team outside of the scheduled meetings to progress any areas of specific interest.

The group will report to the Minister for Finance and Local Government and the Minister for Social Justice. It is intended there will be direct ministerial engagement with the group once per year as appropriate.

This group has been purposely designed to fit within a landscape of other networks and forums and avoid duplication while adding value. Where possible, relevant links will be made to facilitate information sharing between groups to avoid unnecessary duplication. This could be done through membership links of more informal communication. A list of these groups can be found in Annex 4. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated periodically as appropriate.

The group will meet formally at least 4 times per year. It is anticipated that meetings will last no more than 2 hours.

Where required formal meetings will be supplemented with focussed workshops on specific topics, as set out in an agreed work programme. Members’ attendance at these meetings will be optional subject to members’ interest and expertise.

The meeting formats (commencing in 2022) will be virtual initially; it is anticipated that a ‘blended’ approach (both virtual and in-person) could be adopted when social restrictions ease in the future and subject to the agreement of the group recognising the advantages and disadvantages to the different methods of communication to ensure an inclusive environment.

Expectation of members

• As well as providing representation from a particular area of interest/organisation/forum/network members will also provide their personal expertise
• Strive to attend all meetings and send apologies prior to meetings they are not able to attend and where possible provide appropriate deputation
• Be acquainted with the agenda and prepared to contribute to agenda items in each meeting
• Be willing to complete tasks between meetings in line with agreed actions
• Engage in consultation and communication between meetings via email
• Be willing to lead discussions on agenda items in areas of particular expertise or engage in breakout work streams as required to further specific actions
• Ensure relevant feedback and links are made between wider groups and forums being represented (both in and out)
• Comply with confidentiality requirements as required
• Respect the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and ethical code of conduct

Expectation of secretariat

• Provide papers and agendas at least 5 working days prior to any meeting.
• Where it is not possible to provide full papers in advance of a meeting an explanation will be provided and time given to members to review and feedback appropriately following the meeting.
• Summary minutes with key action points will distributed no longer than 3 weeks after each meeting.
• Ensure all action points are followed up
• Secure experts, academics and other Welsh Government representatives as required for meetings.
• Ensure that all meetings (virtual and in person) encourage full participation from all members and address any specific accessibility requirements.

Privacy notice

Background

The Welsh Government Budget and Government Business team have established the Budget Improvement and Impact Advisory Group (BIIAG). Personal contact details for representatives of organisations and individuals are held to allow us to maintain contact with external stakeholders about the arrangements for the BIIAG meetings.

The Welsh Government is the data controller for information collected by Budget and Government Business.

The lawful basis for collecting this information under Article 6(1) of the General Data Protection Regulations is article 6(1)(a) the individual has given clear consent for their personal data to be processed for a specific purpose.

What do we do with your information?

In our remit as the data controller, the Welsh Government uses the information received for the below purposes:

• To contact group members to inform them of meetings and/or events in relation to the Budget Improvement and Impact Advisory Group.
• To share information in relation to BIIAG meetings and specific linked work streams, e.g. minutes, agendas, work plans.

Who do we share your information with?

Information will be shared with the membership of BIIAG including relevant Welsh Government officials.

Who do we share your information with?

Information will be shared with the membership of BIIAG including relevant Welsh Government officials.

Information held by Budget and Government Business Budget Improvement Team is only accessed by staff members of Budget and Government Business division.

Any information provided is stored on a protected area of iShare (internal document management system).

How long will we keep your information?

Budget and Government Business will keep this information on our database for a maximum of 120 months.

Your rights in relation to your information

You have the right to:

• Access to the personal data that we are processing about you
• require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• The right (in certain circumstances) to object to processing
• The right for your data to be ‘erased’ (where consent is the lawful basis)
• lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is our independent regulator for data protection.

For further information about the information which Welsh Governments holds and its use, or if you wish to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please see contact details below: bgb.policyanddelivery@gov.wales

1. February 2022

Focus

Purpose and focus of group

Outcome

Agreement of:

1. TOR and membership
2. Work plan
3. Process to elect non-statutory representative

2. March 2022

Ministerial attendance confirmed - (Minister for Finance and Local Government and Minister for Social Justice)

Focus

Understanding the budget process as it currently exists including:

• the role of evidence, data and impact assessment in the budget process
• the budget documentation including the Budget Improvement Plan, distributional impact model and SIIA
• current budget literacy engagement
• An external picture

Budget engagement – who, when, why?

• Civic Participation and the lived experience

Outcome

• An increased understanding within the membership of the current budget and tax processes and documentation
• An opportunity to ask questions
• An increased understanding of WG officials of the current external perception and challenges when engaging with the budget process.
• A plan for wider communication and increased budget literacy – Who, when, why?
• An understanding of the needs of stakeholders and officials in budget engagement and the channels this can and should be happening – development of plan

3. April to June 2022

Focus

Strategic Integrated Impact Assessment

• Stakeholder views on purpose (work conducted in advance to collect feedback – polling, etc)
• Historical story of the SIIA
• Myth busters – what it is and isn’t
• How do we effectively use the SIIA in showing how budget decisions are made
• The relationship between the IIA and SIIA

Outcome

• An increased understanding of the current SIIA approach and how this is separate to IIA
• Recommendations for improvement
• Identification of further areas for exploration
  • Key challenges for government in producing SIIA
  • Key challenges for stakeholders when considering the effectiveness of the SIIA
• Possible identification of breakout sessions to look at specific work plan if deemed appropriate

4. July to September 2022

Focus

• How to more effectively and visibly demonstrate the WFG Act as the underpinning framework for all other duties
• How could we improve it:
  • Gender/Equality Budgeting
  • Distributional Impact assessments
  • Carbon Impact assessments
  • Nature impact assessments
• Ways of balancing long-term versus short-term goals and impacts of spending decisions
• The international picture

Outcome

• An increased understanding of different approaches to impact assessment and how they could be utilised in relation to the SIIA
• Identification of further areas for exploration

5. October to December

Focus

Review meeting (possible Ministerial attendance)

• Feedback on work and achievement to date (including any sub groups)
• Review of membership and TOR
• Work planning 2023

Outcome

• Ministerial update provided
• Update provided for Budget Improvement plan
• Changes to TOR/Membership agreed
• Work plan agreed for 2023

1. Children and Young people
   • Children in Wales
2. Older People
   • Age Cymru
3. Disability
   • Disability Wales
4. Gender
   • Women’s Equality Network Wales
   • Wales Women’s Budget group
5. Race
   • Show Racism The Red Card
6. Asylum seekers and refugees
   • TBC
7. Faith and belief
   • TBC
8. LGBTQ+
   • Stonewall Cymru
9. Transgender
   • Independent representative
10. Environment
    • Wales Environment Link (WEL)
11. Poverty
    • Bevan Foundation
    • Child Poverty Action Group
12. Health
    • NHS Equality Leadership Group
13. Future Generations representative
    • TBC
14. Trade Union and Social Partnership
    • TUC
15. Local government
    • WLGA
16. Local and regional intermediaries
    • Cardiff Third Sector Partnership Council
17. Third Sector Partnership Council
    • WCVA
18. Welsh Language
    • Prosiect 2050
19. Welsh Government
    • Welsh Treasury
    • Communities Division
    • Equalities Division
20. Equality and human rights
    • Equality and Human Rights Commission

This list is not exhaustive but provides an overview of the range of forums/stakeholders which may have a shared interest in the work of this group.

Welsh Government

• Disability Forum
• Disability taskforce on the locked out report
• Gender Equality Subgroup
• Race Equality Action Plan accountability group
• Race Forum
• Refugee and Asylum Seekers taskforce
• Faith Forum
• LGBTQ+ expert panel
• Strengthening and Advancing Equality and Human Rights
• Ministerial Advisory Forum on Aging
• Net Zero Expert Panel

Children’s Rights Advisory Group

Overseen by the Children’s Rights branch of Welsh Government which provides external advise to officials on all matters pertaining to children’s rights.

Funding and Compliance Sub Committee

Welsh Government Official Led (Third Sector Unit) with an External Chair. Reports to the Minister for Social Justice. To assist Welsh Government in ensuring compliance with the third sector scheme.

Third Sector Partnership Council (TSPC)

Chaired by the Minister for Social Justice this biannual meeting is a key mechanism for Voluntary organisations to talk and hear from Welsh Government. This group that the principles set out in the Third Sector Scheme are put into practice. It also provides an opportunity for the sector to raise issues of interest or concern. The membership consists of 27 elected representatives from across the sectors areas of interests.

Equality and Human Rights Coalition

A sub group of the TSPC structure this group has an elected chair and the secretariat is provided by WCVA. It is a network of over 60 individual members from a variety of third sector organisations that work across the fields of equality and human rights. The network meets quarterly and usually has representation from WG and the equality and human rights commission.

Third Sector Ministerial meetings

Chaired by each individual Welsh Government minister. These biannual meetings are part of the statutory legislation which ensures that the sector have a formal route to talk and raise issues with each Welsh Government minister.

Wales Women’s Budget Group

An independent, not for profit organisation whose aim is to work with government and civil society in pursuit of a more prosperous and equal Wales by ensuring that the impact of taxation and spending in Wales is fair and gender equal.

Wales Civil Society Human Rights Stakeholder Group

Led by Simon Hoffman (Swansea University)

Welsh Refugee Coalition

Welsh Refugee Council

Anti- Poverty Coalition

Bevan Foundation

Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group

The Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group (est. 2002) is a national alliance of non-governmental and academic agencies, tasked with monitoring and promoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in Wales and is facilitated by Children in Wales. Further information on the work of the Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group.