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Financial Issues Advisory Group Report
 
 
ANNEX K
 
FINANCIAL ISSUES ADVISORY GROUP
 
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT'S FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: SCHEDULE OF TASKS TO 1 APRIL 2000
 
1. This Annex describes the main work which will require to be undertaken during the period from about December 1998 to April 2000. The work falls into 2 main categories:
 
1.1 Transitional arrangements - these are the arrangements which will apply for the period 1 April 1999 - 31 March 2000.
 
1.2 Scottish Parliament's consideration and implementation of its own arrangements to apply from 1 April 2000.
 
Transitional Arrangements
 
2. Transitional arrangements require to be made for the financial year1 April 1999 - 31 March 2000. It is important that these enable:
  • service providers to plan their budgets on a full year basis;
  • sufficient flexibility to cater for D Day (the day when powers are transferred) on 1 July 1999;
  • breathing space for the Scottish Parliament to consider and put into place its own arrangements;
  • proper auditing and accounting arrangements in respect of the transitional year; and
  • proper transfer of responsibility to the Scottish Parliament with at least as much flexibility to make changes with regard to allocation decisions as Ministers have in year at the moment.
 
3. Ministers have agreed that transitional arrangements be made through the Scotland Act by conferring a power on Her Majesty by Order in Council to make provision relating to payments out of and into the Scottish Consolidated Fund, and in relation to financial control, accounts and audit for the transitional year.
 
4. It is envisaged that there will be 2 types of Orders in Council namely:-
 
A Framework Order covering the arrangements for financial control, accounts and audit; and
 
Budget Orders. These might cover the main budget and budget amendments, together with an interim spending authorisation. The orders will allow for spending authorities to transfer to the Scottish Ministers on D Day and for the Scottish Parliament to approve any budgets made after D Day.
 
5. It is proposed, that the Order in Council will make provision for the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AO) to have the function of issuing credits for the payment of sums out of the SCF during the whole of transitional period, even after D Day. Also, the C&AO will continue to audit the accounts for the whole transitional year. This is so as to ensure continuity.
 
6. Provision will be made for the accounts and the C&AG's reports to be laid before the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament respectively. Provision will be made for separate accounts for expenditure for the period up to D Day and for the period after D Day. The accounting and audit arrangements for other bodies will continue as set out in the relevant legislation under which the bodies are constituted.
 
7. The Order in Council will also make provision for the carrying out of examinations by C&AG into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the Scottish Ministers and others have used their resources and discharged their functions during the interim years.
 
8. To a large extent, the transitional arrangements will already be in effect before MSPs are elected (E Day) or D Day. The main areas which may concern the Scottish Parliament will be the consideration of Orders in Council in relation to budget amendments proposed after D-day.
 
Parliament's Own Arrangements
 
9. It will be necessary for the Scottish Parliament to make rules in relation to:
  • payments from the Scottish Consolidated Fund and appropriation procedures;
  • consideration of accounts;
  • to make rules for proper accounts to be prepared by the Scottish Ministers and others to whom sums are paid out of the SCF;
  • the Scottish Ministers to prepare an account of payments into and out of the Fund;
  • the publication of accounts and reports and for the laying of such documents before the Parliament;
  • access to such documents as may reasonably be required for the purposes of audit; and
  • appointment of the Auditor General for Scotland.
 
These are discussed below.
 
Payments from SCF and appropriations
 
10. It will be necessary for the Parliament make arrangements to consider any section 65 rules (including legislation) by end of December 1999. This is so as to allow sufficient time for the
approval of allocations in accordance with the rules to be made in the period from December 1999 to 31 March 2000. It is essential that whatever procedures are determined in relation to approval of allocations are completed by 31 March 2000 to enable first payments out of the Scottish Consolidated Fund under the Parliament's own rules to be made by 1 April 2000.
 
11. Given the tight timetable, it may be sensible for the Scottish Parliament to consider some sort of system of interim spending approval.
 
Consideration of Accounts
 
12. The Scottish Parliament is under a statutory obligation to make standing orders in relation to consideration of accounts (Section 70(3) refers). Accounts for the year 1999-2000 will not be available until autumn. Reports on value for money studies may, however, be laid before the Scottish Parliament by the C&AG any time after D Day and it will therefore be necessary for the Scottish Parliament to put these standing orders into place as quickly as possible.
 
Appointment of Auditor General for Scotland
 
13. It will be necessary to have the Auditor General for Scotland in post by 1 April 2000 at the very latest. In view of the background work needed before then, FlAG recommends an appointment is agreed before the Parliament's first summer recess.
 
Other Rules
 
14. Other rules in relation to arrangements for accounts, and rules for access to documents for audit purposes, require to be in place by 1 April 2000 (including any legislation).
 

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