Bulletin 10 December 2012

Savings Programme: Following the debate in the House on 8 November, the Commission agreed the next steps in the Savings Programme as set out in Appendix B to the First Report of the Finance and Services Committee (HC691 2012-13), save for the proposal in the Operations Strand relating to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.  It also endorsed the Management Board's recommendation that the Business Improvement Plans for catering, Print Services, cleaning and attendants and office keepers should be implemented before any further consideration is given to formal market testing. (Contact: Elizabeth Honer 6104)

Medium-Term Financial Plan and Estimate: The Commission endorsed the House's Medium-term Financial Plan for the years 2013/14 to 2016/17 and agreed a Resource Estimate for 2013/14 of £220 million and a Capital Estimate of £32.8 million.  (Contact: Myfanwy Barrett – 0833)

Parliamentary Commission On Banking Standards: The Commission agreed that the costs to be recovered from the Government in regard to the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards should be the additional costs incurred by Parliament less an allowance for the additional costs that would otherwise have been incurred in pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill, and agreed to discuss further with HM Treasury the mechanism for  recovering the costs within the terms of paragraph 13 of the Order of the House of 16 July establishing the PCBS. (Contact: Myfanwy Barrett – 0833)

Staff Pensions: The Commission agreed that the House of Commons Staff Pension Scheme should be merged with the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme from April 2014 subject to successful negotiation of terms with the Cabinet Office. (Contact: Myfanwy Barrett – 0833)

Stationery Allowance: The Commission agreed that there was no objective basis for introducing a variable cap on Members' stationery and pre-paid envelopes based either on social deprivation or electorate. (Contact: James Robertson – 3060)

The Commission also agreed a remit for forthcoming pay negotiations with House Staff and considered papers on a review of the security contract, diversity in the House of Commons Service and the ICT strategy.

Observations on matters in the bulletin or other aspects of the House's administration should be sent to twiggerrj@parliament.uk for the attention of the Commission.

Commission membership: Mr Speaker (Chair), Sir Paul Beresford, Frank Doran, Angela Eagle, Andrew Lansley (Leader of the House) and John Thurso.