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<p>The House of Commons Commission initially committed itself to a reduction in the
Administration Resource Estimate in December 2009. The following year this was restated
as an intention to reduce the Estimate to £210 million by 2014/15 from a baseline
of £231 million for 2010/11.<sup>(a) </sup>Taking forecast inflation into account,
this represented a reduction of 17% in real terms. In December 2013 the Commission
agreed an Administration Estimate for 2014/15 of £201.3 million – allowing for transfers
between Estimates and other adjustments, this was £2 million below the target set
in 2010.</p><p>The Finance and Services Committee will, on Tuesday 28 October, be
publishing its first report of the session, entitled <em>House of Commons Financial
Plan 2015–16 to 2018–19, including draft Estimates for 2015–16</em> (HC 757), which
provides further detail. I shall be approaching the Backbench Business Committee to
request a debate on the report before the Committee gives its advice on the 2015/16
Estimate to the Commission in December. This would give all hon. Members a chance
to discuss and contribute to the financial plan.</p><p>Note: (a) In December 2009
the Commission agreed an Estimate for 2010/11 of £258 million. However, having taken
account of the transfer of staff to IPSA and various accounting adjustments, this
was reduced to £231 million. Agreement of an initial, in-year savings package by the
Commission in June 2010 meant that it actually laid an Estimate for 2010/11 of £219
million.</p>
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