Decisions 10 December 2012

Present:

The Speaker, in the Chair
Sir Paul Beresford
Frank Doran
Mr Andrew Lansley (Leader of the House)
John Thurso

1.  PAY & REWARD IN THE HOUSE SERVICE

The Commission agreed a pay remit.

2.  PARLIAMENT'S ICT STRATEGY

The Commission/MEC took note of a paper from the Director of Parliamentary ICT.

3.  SAVINGS PROGRAMME

The Commission agreed the Savings Programme as set out in Appendix B to the First Report of the Finance and Services Committee (HC 691 2012–13), save for the proposal in the Operations Strand relating to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, and endorsed the Management Board's recommendation that the Business Improvement Plans for catering, Print Services, cleaning and attendants and office keepers are implemented before consideration is given to formal market testing.

4.  MEDIUM-TERM FINANCIAL PLAN AND ESTIMATE

The Commission:

a.         Endorsed the Medium-term Financial Plan.
b.         Agreed a Resource Estimate for 2013/14 of £220 million.
c.         Agreed a Capital Estimate for 2013/14 of £32.8 million.
d.         Agreed that the grant to the BAPG for 2013/14 should              £110,000.

5.  PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION ON BANKING STANDARDS—COSTS AND COST RECOVERY MECHANISM

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.

6.  STAFF PENSIONS

The Commission agreed that the House of Commons Staff Pension Scheme should be merged with the Principal Civil Service Scheme from April 2014 subject to successful negotiation of terms.

7.  SECURITY CONTRACT REVIEW

The Commission took note of a paper from the Parliamentary Director of Security.

8.  DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION UPDATE

The Commission took note of a paper from the Head of Diversity and Inclusion.

9.  STATIONERY ALLOWANCE

The Commission agreed that there was no objective basis for a variable cap on Members' stationery and pre-paid envelopes.

10.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The Committee was up-dated on progress with a case brought under the House of Commons' Respect Policy.

11.  DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Commission/MEC will take place on Monday 21 January at 4.30pm in Speaker's House.