24 November 2022

Attendees

Those present: 

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 [item 3b onwards]
Catherine Hallett, interim Managing Director of Strategic Estates
Grant Hill-Cawthorne, Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information 
Colin Lee, Managing Director of the Select Committee Team
Vicky Rock, Finance Director and Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance 
Saira Salimi, Speaker’s Counsel

Apologies:

David Smith, Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service 

In attendance:

Malin Eliasson, Director of Financial Management and Performance [item 2a]
Lynn Gardner, Clerk of the Interparliamentary Relations Office [item 1]
David Hirst, Deputy Head of the Interparliamentary Relations Office [item 1]
Martina Hunter, Chief Accountant [item 2a]
Clare Jennings, Director of Communications       
Gosia McBride, Head of the Governance Office, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission 
Richard Shoreland, Human Resources Director (representing Mandy Eddolls) [item 2b; 3a]
Katharine Williams, Governance Manager and Secretary to the Commons Executive Board

Meeting

1. Quarterly theme: Parliament, Members and Governance

a) Interparliamentary relations

The CEB agreed that the Interparliamentary Relations Office (IPRO) should prepare a draft strategy on interparliamentary engagement, which would be put to the CEB for decision at a later meeting.

The CEB agreed that the strategy should address value for money and reputational risk and that there needed to be a clear, public statement explaining what was in scope and what services would be provided.

2. By exception

a. Finance

i. Financial monitoring report P07

The CEB noted the paper and recognised that teams’ forecasting continued to underestimate the likely underspend. Board members agreed to focus on accurately representing risks and opportunities in their teams’ forecasting when submitting the next month’s returns. The Finance team would include an assessment of forecast accuracy in future reports.

ii. Supplementary estimate 2022-23

The CEB considered the paper and recommended that the amount being returned under the Supplementary Estimate could be increased; the decision on the exact figure to propose was delegated to the Finance Director.

The CEB discussed leases and agreed to review the organisation’s Property Strategy alongside the Development Framework early in the new year.

iii. Medium Term Financial Plan 2023-26

The CEB agreed the plan as set out in the paper.

b. Hybrid working policy

The CEB noted key points that would be covered by the policy, answers to questions raised by colleagues and the unions about the end of the trial period, and the plans to support managers to understand and apply the policy. The full policy would come to the CEB for decision in December.

3. Monthly updates

a. HR & payroll system

The CEB noted an update from the Managing Director of People and Culture.

The CEB requested a monthly update on this programme.

b. Independent Review of Financial Management

The CEB noted an update from the Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance.

The CEB agreed that it was keen to engage the Lords Administration on implementation activities and suggested this might best be done via a lead contact in the Lords.

c. Director General (Operations)

The CEB noted an update from the Director General (Ops).

The CEB asked for a pre-mortem exercise to be carried out on the resilience arrangements for power and heating when the House returned in January.

d. Parliamentary business

The CEB noted an update from the Managing Directors of the Chamber and Participation Team and the Select Committee Team.

e. Finance

The CEB noted an update from the Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance.

f. Major projects

The CEB noted an update from the interim Managing Director of Strategic Estates.

g. Security

The CEB noted an update from the Director of Security for Parliament

h. Safety

The CEB noted an update from the Head of the Governance Office.

i. Domestic Committees

The CEB noted an update from the Clerk of the House.

4. AOB

The CEB reflected on its ambitions for cultural transformation and making the House Service a great place to work.

5. Take note papers

The following papers were noted:

a) CEB decision and action log / minutes
b) Reports from the Commission and Domestic Committees
c) Sub-board agendas and minutes
d) Restoration & Renewal Sponsor Body quarterly update (Q2)
e) Internal audit: Effectiveness of the Parliamentary Safety Assurance Board
f) Sensitive Objects Principles for Parliament’s Collections

6. By correspondence

The following papers were taken by correspondence ahead of this meeting:

a) Letter from the TUS to the Clerk

The CEB noted the letter.

b) Financial Monitoring Report P06

The CEB noted the report.

c) Independent Review of Financial Management – management response

The CEB noted the response.

d) Sub-strategies

The CEB agreed the paper.

e) Quarterly Portfolio Performance Report Q2

The CEB noted the report.