The Deputy Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly has called for a review of security procedures after an envelope containing government invoices was found in a hedge in Pembrokeshire.
Paul Davies – Assembly Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire – was handed the documents, which included bills for thousands of pounds and bank details for Dyfed Powys Police.
The envelope was discovered by a local woman in a hedge - near her home - in the village of Eglwyswrw. The file containing the documents was marked 'Restricted' and originated from the Welsh government's offices in Merthyr.
It was addressed to government offices in Llandudno.
Mr Davies – who has returned the contents – has also written to the First Minister calling for a review of security procedures.
He said: "To say this discovery came as a surprise is an understatement – and how or why it came to end up in a hedge in Pembrokeshire is a complete mystery.
"What is clear is that this is a farcical breach of security that demands a review of procedure.
"There were over 30 pages of documents including invoices inside the envelope - with charges adding up to many thousands of pounds.
"The contents also contained details of a police force's bank account. While this is obviously not the sole fault of the government itself – it remains completely unacceptable.
"The documents suggest they were being handled by a courier service and I expect the First Minister to look very closely at the arrangements in place for sending sensitive material cross-country.
"While this incident has ended with the return of the documents – thanks to the local person who found them – the government may not be so lucky if anything similar happens again."
