DEPUTY First Minister Mike German is bracing himself for the publication of an audit of the exam board department he used to run.

If the report, due to be published this afternoon, is damaging it threatens to seriously undermine the coalition agreement between Labour and the Lib Dems in the Assembly.

The report is not specifically about Mr German; its purpose was to investigate the management of the European Unit of the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

However, as the former head of the unit, Mr German's role will come under close scrutiny.

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing and says he has nothing to hide from the investigation.