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States Greffe
Deputy Elaine Millar
Minister for Treasury and Resources
BY EMAIL 2nd April 2024 Dear Minister,
Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
Teachers Pay Award: Allocation of Reserve Funding for 2024
The Panel met earlier today and discussed the recent Ministerial Decision (MD) - MD-TR-2024- 217 - made by you on 20th March 2024 to approve an allocation of up to £7,556,000 to the Children, Young People, Education and Skills Head of Expenditure from the Central Reserve to cover the budget allocation of the 2024 teacher’s pay award. The Panel requests further information on the decision-making process in reaching the decision, particularly in relation to allocating the funds from the Central Reserve Fund.
The Panel recalled the following statement from the Government Plan 2024-27 in respect of allocating funds from the Central Reserve:
The Central Reserve is held outside of operational expenditure limits, and can be used to meet unforeseen pressures, or to provide advance funding for urgent expenditure in the public interest. In each year, amounts are held to manage fluctuations in benefit expenditure due to economic changes, and to allow one-off funding for emerging issues.
Therefore, the Panel is keen to understand the policy and process for allocating funds from the Central Reserve, and requests clarification on the following:
• When the decision to allocate the funds from the Central Reserve was taken and by whom.
• Who was involved in the decision-making process and how it was recorded.
• The criteria used for justifying the allocation of funds from the Central Reserve for the circumstances as outlined in the MD.
• The balance of the Central Reserve prior to the allocation being made as well as the current balance of the Fund.
• The policy for allocating funds from the Central Reserve and the governance process in that regard.
The Panel would appreciate to receive a formal written response detailing this information by no later than Wednesday 10th April 2024. Please be aware that it is the Panel’s intention to publish the response it receives on the States Assembly Website.
Yours Sincerely,
Deputy Helen Miles
Chair
Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel