TREASURY & Resources ITEM NO:
TREASURY AND RESOURCES MINISTER
Transfer of historical child abuse enquiry funds to law officers’, health and social services, home affairs and Property Holdings departments for actual expenditure incurred to 30 september 2009
- Purpose of Report
To inform the Minister for Treasury and Resources of the total States HCAE expenditure incurred between 1 January and 30 September 2009, and the forecast HCAE expenditure to 31 December 2009. To also recommend that the Minister approves requests made by Law Officers’, Home Affairs, Health and Social Services and Property Holdings Departments for the release and reimbursement of HCAE funding from Treasury and Resources to the respective departments, for expenditure incurred to 30 September 2009.
- Background
P.83/2009 (Funding Requests Under Article 11(8)) was approved by the States in July 2009. In accordance with Article 11(8) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, P.83/2009 asked the States to approve:-
“That funding up to a maximum of £4,250,000 should only be made available to departments from the allocation to the Treasury and Resources Department by public ministerial decision of the Minister for Treasury and Resources based on documented evidence of actual additional costs incurred as a result of the Historic Child Abuse Enquiry.”
In addition to the £4.25 million allocated for 2009, £846,000 was approved to be carried forward from 2008 for items that departments could demonstrate would not be paid for until 2009:-
The table above shows a total of £5.096 million has been approved up until the end of 2009. In accordance with P.83/2009, the Treasury and Resources Department will only draw down such sums from the Consolidated Fund and reallocate to departments to reimburse actual expenditure provided accounting officers can confirm:-
- Costs are essential to the Historic Child Abuse Enquiry;
- Costs cannot be absorbed within existing cash limits;
- Costs are additional to usual expenses;
- Reimbursements of funds will only be used for purposes intended;
- There are appropriate controls in place to ensure that funds are being spent appropriately and value for money is being achieved; and
- Financial directions are being complied with in respect of this expenditure.
- Actual and Forecast Positions at 30 September and 31 December 2009
The following position summary table reports departments’ actual expenditure at the end of the third quarter, total amounts approved by P.83/2009, forecast expenditure to 31 December 2009 and final position against amounts approved:-
HCAE expenditure incurred by the Education, Sport and Culture Department was reimbursed by Ministerial Decision1 signed 10 August 2009. Therefore the amount that remains to be reimbursed for expenditure to 30 September 2009 is £3,465,204.
Law Officers’ Department
In a memo sent to the Treasury and Resources Department signed off by the Chief Clerk, the Law Officers’ report a total spend of £950,000 Between 1 January and 30 June 2009 for which they require reimbursement. The detail of that expenditure is as follows:-
The Law Officers’ Department confirms it will breakeven its HCAE expenditure for 2009.
Home Affairs Department
The Minister for Home Affairs has requested the Minister for Treasury and Resources to reimburse £2.12 million of its expenditure to the third quarter of 2009 in relation to HCAE. The details for which are as follows:-
Staff - £1,464,000
Includes overtime costs of States of Jersey Police Officers, local agency staff, Police Officers and Agency staff from the UK working on the enquiry and agency staff from the UK backfilling key posts where States of Jersey Police Officers are working on the enquiry.
Forensics - £7,000
Forensic costs associated with the HCAE. These have been identified separately due to the high level of expenditure in 2008.
Travel, Accommodation and Subsistence - £531,000
Travel: £135,533
Includes travel costs:
- To and from the UK for Police Officers and Agency staff working in Jersey;
- Staff visiting potential witnesses; and
- Staff attending relevant training.
Accommodation: £388,395
- Hotel, and self catering accommodation in Jersey for Police Officers and Agency staff from the UK working in Jersey;
- Hotel accommodation for staff attending relevant training and visiting potential witnesses.
Terms and conditions have been agreed with Police Officers and Agency staff working in Jersey regarding travel, subsistence and accommodation allowances that were endorsed by the Police Gold Command Group in November 2008. Staff have been accommodated at the Uplands Hotel, the Savoy Hotel, Liberty Apartments and Merlin House Apartments.
Subsistence: £7,428
This includes payments for staff working on the HCAE in Jersey and off Island.
Other costs - £117,000
Hired Services: £61,159
Includes:
- The cost of the expenditure review being undertaken by BDO Alto;
- Storage cost of material removed from Haut de la Garenne.
Rents: £22,000
Rental of Broadcasting House (Major Incident room) and rental of accommodation for the Senior Investigating Officer in Jersey.
Also includes:
- Utility costs £7,915
- Telephones £5,532
- Vehicle hire, lease and running costs £5,544.
- Conference and Course fees £3,216
- Equipment and material purchase £1,118
Other administrative costs £10,946.
The Home Affairs Department forecast to spend £2.47 million in relation to HCAE as at 30 December 2009. This will result in a £31,000 underspend of the P.83/2009 approved monies.
Health and Social Services Department
The Minister for Health and Social Services has requested the Minister for Treasury and Resources to reimburse £369,000 of its HCAE expenditure to the third quarter of 2009. The details for which are as follows:-
Proposition Summary Description | Details | Total 2009 Allocation £ | Expenditure Jan-Sep 2009 £ |
Legal Defence Claims | Provide legal team to represent SoJ in litigation costs. | | 146,600 |
| Specific administrative support in Social Services for providing documentation for solicitors and QCs | | 33,000 |
| | | |
Legal Defence Claims Total | 924,630 | 179,600 |
| | | |
Psychology Trauma Support Team | Provision of ‘trauma counseling service’ for those who have suffered post-traumatic syndrome as a result of the HDLG investigation | | 77,300 |
| | | |
Psychology Trauma Support Team Total | 154,000 | 77,300 |
| | | |
Support for Care Leavers | | | |
| | | |
Support for Care Leavers Total | 85,000 | 0 |
| | | |
Other | Additional cost of moving two significantly challenged adult residents in Aviemore into new premises | | 50,100 |
| Provision of supervision, support and registration of counseling services | | 2,200 |
| Other Salary Associated Costs | | 60,100 |
| | | |
Other Cost Total | 168,000 | 112,400 |
| | | |
| | | |
Total | | 1,331,630 | 369,300 |
The Department has forecast to spend £1 million by 31 December 2009 in relation to HCAE. This will result in a £329,000 underspend of the P.83/2009 approved monies.
Jersey Property Holdings
The Director of Jersey Property Holdings has requested the Minister for Treasury and Resources for reimbursement of £25,000 in relation to HCAE expenditure to the third quarter of 2009. The details for which are as follows:-
Jersey Property Holdings HCAE forecast expenditure to the end of 2009 will be £75,000 of the £453,000 allocated. However, the Department has stated that it wishes to carry forward £300,000 in order for reinstatement of Haut de la Garenne in 2010 if it is approved. This will leave an under spent balance of £78,000 at the year end.
- Recommendation
The Minister for Treasury and Resources approves the transfer of £3,465,204 from Treasury and Resources to the respective departments as outlined in section 3 of this report.
- Reason for Decision
To transfer the funds in accordance with the approval of P.83/2009 and prevent the respective departments incurring a deficit.
States Treasury Nick Collins, Finance Manager Decision Support
20 November, 2009
1 MD-TR-2009-0137
gov.je