Bulletin 21 January 2013

House of Commons Administration Estimate – Supplementary Estimate and Vote on Account: The Commission agreed a Supplementary Estimate for 2012/13 that will reduce the resource budget by £7.5 million and the capital budget by £8.5 million, and noted that the Vote on Account for 2013/14 will be laid at the same time.  The lower resource budget reflects an anticipated upward revision to the valuation of the Estate (which is credited to the Estimate) and the lower capital budget results from an underspend on the Works programme. (Contact: Myfanwy Barrett – 0833)

Strategy for the House of Commons Service: Subject to one further amendment, the Commission endorsed minor revisions to the existing strategy to extend its timeframe beyond 2015. (Contact: Matthew Hamlyn – 1706)

Third-Party Functions: The Commission agreed that payment for third-party functions sponsored by Members should in future be in advance rather than arrears.  This will remove the risk of individual Members being left responsible for unpaid bills of the organisations that they sponsor. (Contact: Myfanwy Barrett – 0833)

Members Estimate:  The Members Estimate Committee agreed the text of a new “Concordance” of resolutions relating to expenditure changed to the Members Estimate.  This will be published before the Easter recess.  It also agreed to seek the House's approval to changes to Standing Orders Nos 144 and 152D that would require the Committee to agree formally the Members Estimate on the basis of a recommendation of the Finance and Services Committee prior to it being laid by the Treasury.  (Contact: Andrew Walker – 5460)

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.