26 May 2022

Attendees

Those present: 

Malin Eliasson, Interim Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance   
John Benger, Clerk of the House [Chair]  
Marianne Cwynarski, Director General (Operations) 
Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant and Managing Director of the Chamber and Participation Team  
Mandy Eddolls, Managing Director of People and Culture  
Alison Giles, Director of Security for Parliament  
Colin Lee, Managing Director of the Select Committee Team   
Saira Salimi, Speaker’s Counsel  
David Smith, Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service  
Penny Young, Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information 
Isabel Coman, Managing Director of In-House Services and Estates

In attendance:

Annabel Ellis, Head of Internal Communications [item 1a]
Tom Goldsmith, Principal Clerk Table Office [item 1a] 
Clare Jennings, Director of Communications       
Libby Kurien, Director of Business Change [item 1d]
Gosia McBride, Head of the Governance Office, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission 
Nitin Mehta, Customer Insight Manager [item 1c]
Alex Noonoo, Deputy Director of Internal Communications [item 1a]
John Owen, Director of Strategic Business Resilience [item 2]
Reg Perry, Director of Employee Engagement [item 1a]
Sarah Petit, Cultural Transformation Director [item 1a] 
James Turner, Director of Customer Experience and Service Delivery [item 1c] 
Karen Saunders, Head of Customer Service Improvement [item 1c]
Mary Savvides, Corporate Risk Management Facilitator [item 2]
Richard Stammers, Head of Internal Audit [item 3a]
Katharine Williams, Governance Manager and Secretary to the Commons Executive Board  

Meeting

1. Quarterly theme: Parliament, Government and Members

a) Staff engagement strategy

The CEB endorsed the strategy subject to changes agreed in the meeting.

b) Clerk’s Review: CPT and SCT Progress

The CEB noted progress made in the first 12 months of delivering recommendations of the Clerk’s review relating to the Chamber and Participation Team and the Select Committee Team, and the benefits that had been realised to date.

c) Members’ Customer Satisfaction survey results

The CEB noted the results and agreed to keep the survey annually.

In discussion the CEB agreed:

• An engagement plan would be developed to communicate results to staff and the Commission.
• The draft action list would be updated and a final version circulated to the CEB.

d) Digital Strategy for Parliament 2022-25

The CEB endorsed the strategy.

In discussion the CEB agreed:

• Feedback would be sought from Member Committees.
• Messaging would be developed on what change would be seen over the lifetime of the strategy.

2. Risk

a) Risk Management

The CEB endorsed developments in the approach to risk management including the introduction of cross-cutting risks, a deep dive template for bicameral risks, and the integration of risk with financial planning.

In discussion the CEB agreed:

• Additional cross cutting risks could be added to the list.
• Further work was needed to coordinate and rationalise how the organisation used risk to drive both investment and business-as-usual budgeting decisions.
• Lessons should be learned from work undertaken by the In-House Services and Estates team to establish a consistent approach to costing risks.

3. Monthly updates

a) Internal Audit

The CEB took note of an update from Richard Stammers, Head of Internal Audit, on his annual opinion for 2021-22. The CEB agreed that any ‘limited’ findings would be followed up with a subsequent audit to review improvement. Assessment of progress would take into account what was a reasonable timescale for change.

b) Director General (Operations)

The CEB took note of an update on Restoration and Renewal.

c) Parliamentary business

The CEB took note of an update from the Clerk Assistant and the Managing Director of the Select Committee Team.

d) Impartiality policy

The CEB took note of an update on the rollout of the impartiality policy from the Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information.

e) Finance

The CEB took note of an update from the Interim Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance.

f) Major projects

The CEB took note of an update from the Director of In-House Services and Estates, which included an update on the Estate-based community workstream.
The CEB noted that Estate-based community projects with additional funding were currently going through the business case process.

g) Security

The CEB took note of an update from the Director of Security for Parliament and the Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service.

h) Sub-boards

The CEB took note of an update from the Head of the Governance Office.

4. Reflections, updates and AOB

a) ParliGENDER update

The CEB noted an update from Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant, on work with ParliGENDER.

b) Culture Reflection

The CEB reflected that while they believed that the culture at Parliament was in some respects improving, further incidents and the public perception of ‘Pestminster’ was taking its toll on morale. It was important to keep momentum on cultural transformation work and avoid any sense of backsliding.

c) House Service Strategy 2023-27

The CEB noted the new House of Commons Service Strategy 2023-27 had been agreed by the Commission and finalised.

d) Pay award

The CEB noted an update on the pay award.

5. Take note papers

The CEB took note of the following papers:
a) CEB decision and action log / minutes
b) Reports from the Commission and Domestic Committees
c) Sub-board agendas and minutes
d) Members’ Customer Satisfaction Survey: full results
e) Education Centre update
f) Internal Audit reports

i. PDS: 2nd line of defence
ii. IT Goods and Services Procurement Programme
iii. Food safety (allergens)
iv. Construction Health and Safety

6. By correspondence

a) Internal audit annual opinion

The CEB noted the report.

b) Portfolio performance report - April

The CEB noted the report.