Assembly exam board controversy uncovered

Police were asked to investigate WJEC matters

BBC Wales has discovered that First Minister Rhodri Morgan did approach two council leaders over the controversial exams body, the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

Mr Morgan had originally denied Conservative claims that he had pressed Cardiff County Council leader Russell Goodway to oppose sending a file on the exam body's European Unit to the police.

The unit had been run by Mike German, the man who is now Deputy First Minister.

But the Good Morning Wales radio programme has since learned that Mr Morgan did discuss the issue with him.

It followed an earlier approach to the leader of Swansea Council about who should chair the body.

In the assembly chamber the Conservatives accused Mr Morgan of telephoning Mr Goodway to urge him to get Cardiff's WJEC member to object to a file being sent to police which contained allegations about Mr German's use of a corporate credit card.

Mr Morgan denied having a telephone conversation with Mr Goodway and has never either confirmed or denied talking to him about the WJEC.

But Mr Goodway has now revealed that they did talk face to face about the WJEC - although he says Mr Morgan made clear he was content for the file to go to the police.

A spokesman for Mr Morgan has now confirmed that a conversation about the WJEC took place.

Last October Mr Morgan also approached Mike Hedges, then leader of Swansea council about, whether the existing chairman of the WJEC could stay in place - despite doubts about his eligibility.

Mr Hedges says Mr Morgan's only concern was the stability of the WJEC.

But Mr Morgan's spokesman has confirmed that he was aware at the time that Bridgend leader Jeff Jones assumed he would take over if the then chairman stood down, as eventually happened.

In May, Mr Morgan said Mr German would not have to stand down in the wake of a controversial report into the European Unit of the WJEC.

The WJEC itself decided that allegations surrounding the use of exam board credit card and trips abroad will be referred to the police.

Last year, an independent audit of the unit by accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers said that the WJEC could be subject to a clawback of almost £430,000 by Europe.

But another independent review of the unit by auditors Bentley Jennison concluded that the WJEC could, in the event of an audit by the EU, have to pay back in excess of £1m.

It also points out discrepancies between comments made by Michael German and documentary evidence on file at the WJEC.