2007 Review Is the Third Such Review As Promulgated by the Parliamentary Service Act 2000, the First Being Carried out in 2002 and the Second in 2004
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A.14 PARLIAMENTARY APPROPRIATIONS REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE THIRD TRIENNIAL REVIEW March 2007 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................... 2 PART ONE: INTRODUCTION................................................................................ 14 Terms of reference .............................................................................................. 17 Report structure................................................................................................... 18 Principles For Resourcing Parliament.................................................................. 19 The Process ........................................................................................................ 20 Consultation......................................................................................................... 21 PART TWO: THE PARLIAMENTARY ENVIRONMENT UNDER MMP................... 23 Ten years of MMP ............................................................................................... 23 PART THREE: PROGRESS ON THE 2004 REVIEW ............................................. 26 Actions Taken: 2004 Review............................................................................... 26 Assessment of Progress: 2004 Review............................................................... 26 PART FOUR: MANAGING THE PARLIAMENTARY APPROPRIATIONS .............. 30 Background to the Present Environment.............................................................. 30 The Purposes of the Parliamentary Service Act................................................... 31 Effect of Legislative Change ................................................................................ 32 The management process ................................................................................... 34 An alternative scenario ........................................................................................ 36 An Advisory Board............................................................................................... 36 Fiscal responsibility.............................................................................................. 40 Travel Entitlements.............................................................................................. 42 PART FIVE: SERVICE CAPABILITY...................................................................... 44 General comment ................................................................................................ 44 The Parliamentary Service................................................................................... 44 The Way Forward ................................................................................................ 47 Structure and Management ................................................................................. 50 Staffing within the Parliamentary Service............................................................. 53 The Office of the Clerk......................................................................................... 56 Parliamentary Information and Research............................................................. 59 New Zealand – Australia Political Exchange........................................................ 60 PART SIX: THE PARLIAMENTARY CAMPUS....................................................... 62 Administration of the Parliamentary Campus ....................................................... 62 Security ............................................................................................................... 63 Information and communications technology ....................................................... 66 Business Continuity Planning............................................................................... 70 The campus ten years’ out................................................................................... 71 Food and beverage.............................................................................................. 73 PART SEVEN: FUNDING AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PARTIES AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ................................................................................ 74 Parliamentary Party and Members’ Support......................................................... 74 List and Constituency Members........................................................................... 78 Bulk funding......................................................................................................... 81 Communication – Printing and Stationery ............................................................ 83 The Members’ Handbook of Services .................................................................. 84 Other allowances................................................................................................. 85 PART EIGHT: THE OUT-OF-PARLIAMENT OFFICES .......................................... 88 Terminology......................................................................................................... 88 Out-of-Parliament office’s image.......................................................................... 89 Out-of-Parliament office’s specifications .............................................................. 90 Staff training ........................................................................................................ 91 Large electorates and M āori electorates.............................................................. 92 A Freephone Service ........................................................................................... 93 Hub offices........................................................................................................... 94 Office rental costs................................................................................................ 94 Links between Out-of-Parliament offices and Parliamentary Service ................... 95 Other Out-of-Parliament office issues .................................................................. 95 General................................................................................................................ 96 PART NINE: LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FISCAL IMPLICATIONS .... 97 General Observations.......................................................................................... 97 Legislative implications ........................................................................................ 97 Administrative implications................................................................................... 98 Fiscal implications................................................................................................ 98 PART TEN: CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................... 100 APPENDICES ....................................................................................................... 102 Appendix 1: Terms Of Reference...................................................................... 103 Appendix 2: Media Release – Appropriations Review Committee..................... 105 Appendix 3: Purposes of the Parliamentary Service Act 2000........................... 106 Appendix 4: Functions of the Parliamentary Service Commission..................... 107 Appendix 5: Political Parties Consulted............................................................. 108 Appendix 6: Other People and Organisations Consulted .................................. 109 Appendix 7: Out-Of-Parliament Offices: Site Visits............................................ 110 Appendix 8: Mechanism for Administering out-of-Parliament Offices ................ 111 Appendix 9: Parties in House of Representatives ............................................. 113 Appendix 10: Recommendations ...................................................................... 114 BACKGROUND The Parliamentary Service Act 2000 requires that the Speaker of the House of Representatives “at least once during the term of each Parliament establish a review committee of up to 3 persons to review the amounts of money appropriated by Parliament for the following purposes: (1) administrative and support services provided to the House of Representatives and to members of Parliament (2) funding entitlements for parliamentary purposes.” The Act further states that “No person appointed to the review committee may be a member of Parliament or an officer or employee of the Parliamentary Service”. The provisions in the Act pertaining to the Establishment of the Committee to Review Appropriations along with the overall Terms of Reference for each review are shown in Appendix 1 of this report. Section 21 gives direction as to the work of the review committee by stating as follows: Parliamentary Service Act 2000 S 21(1) In carrying out its work, the review committee must consider each of the following matters: a) the nature, quantity, and quality of administrative services and support services required for the effective operation of the House of Representatives; b) the nature, quantity, and quality of administrative services and support services that members of Parliament require for the effective performance of their functions; c) the funding that recognised parties and members of Parliament require for the effective performance of their respective functions; d) the scope for efficiency gains in the delivery