This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.
Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
STATES OF JERSEY
r
TRAVELLING AND ENTERTAINING COSTS: PROVISION OF INFORMATION
Lodged au Greffe on 6th April 2004 by Senator R.J. Shenton
STATES GREFFE
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
(a ) to agree that all States Committees should, at the end of each quarter, submit to the Finance and
Economics Committee full details of all costs incurred during the quarter for travel and entertaining by members of the Committee concerned and all officers in Departments for which it has budgetary responsibility, setting out in particular the purpose of any travel, the persons travelling, the total accommodation and other costs incurred whilst out of the Island, and the precise nature of the entertaining undertaken; and
(b ) to agree that, on receipt of the information referred to in paragraph (a), the Finance and Economics
Committee should present it to the States for their information.
SENATOR R.J. SHENTON
REPORT
The States needs to be accountable for their handling of the public purse. The public are confused by the practice of discussing costs in a variety of ways. It is time for States members to check on Departmental costs, particularly with regard to travelling and entertaining. Having sat on many boards in the private sector I know how closely Directors examine the accounts. Every detail of expenditure is analysed and the management have to account for excesses in areas which they control. The accounting procedures used by the States allow for travelling and entertaining to be allocated to individual votes which can confuse the true level of expenses. My proposition will require all Committee Presidents to submit full details to the Finance and Economics Committee on a quarterly basis of all travelling and entertaining costs together with the names of all politicians and officers involved. The information would then be collated and presented to the States by the Finance and Economics Committee.
This proposition will not require extra costs or resources to prepare a return which is already accounted for by the Department but not available to the public.