Chief Ministers Department
Ministerial Decision Report
Central contingency Funding Request for Committee of Inquiry into Historical CHILD Abuse Departmental costs
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Chief Minister to request the transfer of £1,543,932.83 in 2014 being the approved allocation of Central Contingency funding in order to fund the estimated costs to be incurred by the Chief Ministers Department associated with the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse.
In addition to enable the Chief Minister to agree to transfer from the above approved allocated funding, the amounts of £72,334.33 and £262,927.09 to the Law Officers’ and Home Affairs Departments respectively in respect of additional costs incurred, above forecasted estimates, due to the administrative processes of the Inquiry and the scale of the material being prepared for disclosure, in order to ensure the above mentioned Accounting Officers do not close the year with an overspend.
- Background
Following consultation with departmental accounting officers, a summary of updated costs was produced and it was identified that the Chief Minister’s Department required £1,543,932.83 in 2014 from Central Contingency to fund the costs incurred and administered relating to the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse.
At a meeting of the Council of Ministers on 30th July 2014, the Council, having noted the departmental funding proposals, concluded that it was content to agree an increase of funding from £6 million to £9 million and considered that it was appropriate for accounting officers to manage the expenditure in the manner agreed.
- Recommendation
The Chief Minister is recommended to request a transfer of £1,543,932.83 in 2014 from Central Contingencies being the allocation approved by the Council of Ministers to fund the estimated costs to be incurred and administered by the Chief Ministers Department associated with the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse.
In addition the Chief Minister is recommended to agree to transfer from the above approved allocated funding the amounts of £72,334.33 and £262,927.09 to the Law Officers’ and Home Affairs Departments respectively in respect of additional costs incurred, above forecasted estimates, due to the administrative processes of the Inquiry and the scale of the material being prepared for disclosure.
- Reason for Decision
The transfer is required in order to achieve a balanced budget as at 31 December 2014 relating to costs associated with the Committee of Inquiry into Historical Child Abuse.
- Resource Implications
Central Contingency will decrease by £1,543,932.83 in 2014 and the Chief Minister’s Department revenue head of expenditure will increase by a net amount of £1,208,671.41 and the Law Officers and Home Affairs Departments will increase by £72,334.33 and £262,927.09 respectively. This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States for the period of the current Medium Term Financial Plan 2013 to 2015.