Commenting on the publication of a Wales Audit Office report on the Welsh Government's relationship with the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association – which highlights, in particular, weak government performance in the management and coordination of AWEMA funding – Shadow Minister for Finance Paul Davies AM said:

"This damning report exposes a devil-may-care attitude towards the public purse at the heart of Welsh Government.

"Lazy Labour ministers paid no attention to the glaringly obvious warning signs at Awema.

"The complete loss of over half a million a pounds is a disgrace for anyone who had a relationship with this association and didn't act as they should have done.

"This is a titanic public funding disaster that could have been avoided if proper action was taken many years ago.

"The Welsh taxpayer deserves an apology for this fiasco and on critical issues of funding it is now time for more accountability, responsibility and due diligence."

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly, Andrew RT Davies AM, said:

"Welsh ministers – past and present – must look very hard at the mistakes that led to this scandal.

"The report poses serious questions on the reasoning behind important funding decisions and the inept thinking that led to inadequate reviews.

"We now require public assurances that lessons have been learned and a swift apology for past ignorance."