Treasury and Resources
Ministerial Decision Report
Central contingency Funding Request for Committee of Inquiry into Historical CHILD Abuse
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Minister for Treasury and Resources (T&R) to approve an allocation of up to £6,000,000 from Central Contingency (emerging items) in order to fund the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse. The Minister is further requested to approve a non - recurring budget transfer from this allocation of £1,300,000 in March 2014, with the remaining allocation of up to £4,700,000 being transferred in 2014 under a delegated decision(s) by the Treasurer of the States in tranches of up to £1,000,000 to the States Greffe – States Assembly head of expenditure.
- Background
The States at its meeting on 6th March 2013 adopted as amended, the proposition in P.118/2012, Committee of Inquiry: Historical Child Abuse. This approved the establishment of the Committee of Inquiry and its Terms of Reference.
The Minister for T&R presented his comments to the States on 4th March 2013, Committee of Inquiry: Historical Child Abuse (P.118/2012) – Comments. These provided estimates of the detailed costs of the Inquiry which would operate over two financial years – 2013 and 2014. The estimated cost was £6,000,000.
The Comments also stated,
“Should the States approve P.118/2012, it is recommended that up to £6,000,000 be allocated from the Central Contingency that Members approved in the Medium Term Financial Plan. Such an allocation would be required to follow the approved and published procedures for Central Contingencies (R.10/2012).”
This procedure requires that the Council of Ministers consider the request and make a recommendation taking into account the Department’s submission and the Treasurer of the States’ and Minister for T&R’s recommendations. The Council of Ministers recommendation was made at its meeting on the 10th July 2013. The recommendation was to approve the requested allocation from Central Contingencies.
The allocation of the funding was as requested by the Greffier of the States, as the Accounting Officer for the Committee of Inquiry, on the 3rd July 2013. This request to the Treasurer of the States was for the funds be allocated from Central Contingency as follows:-
- 2013 - £800,000
- 2014 - £3,000,000 (on 1st January 2014)
- This with the proviso that the budget would be monitored and a further request for the release of the balance of the funds (£2,200,000) would be made to the Treasurer of the States, if necessary during 2014.
The Inquiry however was delayed due to the unfortunate circumstances of the elected chair (Mrs Sally Bradley QC) and as such the above allocations have been amended. The revised allocations are as follows:
- Up to £6,000,000 in 2014, to be transferred as follows:-
A budget transfer of £1,300,000 in March 2014;
The remaining allocation of up to £4,700,000 to be transferred on approval by the Treasurer of the States under a delegated decision(s) in tranches of up to a £1,000,000.
- Recommendation
It is recommended that the Minister approve the allocation of up to £6,000,000 from Central Contingency (emerging items) to the States Greffe – States Assembly head of expenditure, for the purposes of funding the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse.
The Minister is further recommended to approve that this allocation should be transferred as follows in 2014:-
A budget transfer of £1,300,000 in March 2014;
The remaining allocation of up to £4,700,000 will be transferred on approval by the Treasurer of the States under a delegated decision(s) in tranches of up to £1,000,000 on request from the States Greffe Accounting Officer.
The Greffier of the States is in agreement with the above proposed budget transfer arrangements with these being slightly different in 2014 from the approval given by the Council of Ministers in their meeting of the 10th July 2013.
- Resource Implications
Central Contingency (emerging items) will decrease by £1,300,000 in 2014 and if approved by the Treasurer of the States under a delegated decision(s) will decrease by up to a further £4,700,000 in 2014. The States Greffe – States Assembly head of expenditure will increase by identical amounts.
Report author : Projects Director | Document date: 13/03/2014 |
Quality Assurance / Review : Business Manager | File name and path: L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DSs, WRs and SDs\2014-0021 - Committee of Inquiry into Historical Abuse\WR - CoI into Historical abuse - Central contingency funding.doc |
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