DFID Management Board
In working towards the delivery of the Public Service Agreement the Management Board will aim to:
- communicate the vision, role, direction and priorities of DFID to staff and other stakeholders;
- ensure DFID's financial resources and staff are allocated and managed effectively;
- monitor and improve DFID's performance;
- protect and enhance DFID’s reputation as a highly effective international development organisation.
Meeting on 21 November 2006
Topic |
Attending |
Purpose |
MB Obj |
Papers |
Comprehensive Spending Review (HMT session) |
HMT team: Calum Miller and Peter Mc Dermott |
Update from HMT on the context, content and timetable of the CSR 07 |
A,C & D |
No papers closed session |
Comprehensive Spending Review (DFID progress) |
Richard Calvert |
To review DFID progress on the Comprehensive Spending Review |
B, C & D |
No papers closed session |
Tracking thematic expenditure |
Richard Calvert |
To agree how DFID will record its expenditure in particular sectors, eg HIV and AIDS |
B, C & D |
|
Risk Management |
Richard Calvert |
To review the new Risk Register and consider next steps on Risk Management |
B, C & D |
Paper |
Attendees |
In AH: Suma Chakrabarti (Chair), Sue Owen, Minouche Shafik, In PS: Mark Lowcock, Bill Griffith (Non-Executive Director), Helen Ghosh (Non-Executive Director) |
|||
Observers |
In PS: Julia Bunting, Quach Thu Huong, Jennie Barugh, Frances Harper, David Reid, Helen Evans, Jane Shute, Siobhan Carey, David Minotti (Capability Review team) In AH: Caroline Rickatson, Benedicte Terryn, Kate Tench, Kenny Osborne, Tom Andrews |
Comprehensive Spending Review (HMT presentation) – closed session
1. The HM Treasury team gave a presentation on the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). As this was a closed session which included sensitive information, slides are not available. The presentation and discussion covered the context, key elements of the preparations and timetable for the CSR. A key point to note: it was likely that DFID would be asked to manage a 5% per annum real reduction in administration resources (although the final decision would not be made until later, probably as part of the Pre-Budget Report).
Comprehensive Spending Review (DFID discussion) – closed session
2. Richard Calvert introduced this item. The areas discussed were (a) our overall strategy for the CSR bid; (b) assumptions on programme spend; (c) options for how we would manage a 5% real cut to our administration costs.
3. The Board agreed:
- we should plan to bid for an overall CSR settlement based on straight line growth to 0.7% ODA:GNI;
- for the time being, we should plan on the basis of multilateral expenditure of £2.9 billion in 2010/11. FCPD to discuss with international divisions how to achieve this (using a series of questions posed by Mark Lowcock in an email of 22 November as a starting point);
- further decisions on how we would manage a 5% cut in administration resources would be taken at a meeting in the margins of the upcoming SCS day;
Tracking Thematic and Sectoral Expenditure
5. Liz Ditchburn introduced this paper, which asked the Board to agree a broad approach to tracking thematic and sectoral expenditure in DFID. Key features of the approach:
- there should be a clear FCPD role in determining methodology and baselines and providing expenditure reports, in order to improve consistency and discipline;
- input sector codes should become the main mechanism for reporting bilateral programme expenditure;
- budget support should be nominally allocated in proportion with partner government’s own overall expenditure.
6. The Board:
- commended the team on the quality of the paper;
- agreed the proposed approach;
- asked FCPD to include some worked examples in the final piece of work;
- agreed to highlight this change at the SCS day.
Risk Management
7. Richard Calvert introduced this item.
8. The Board:
- commended the team on their good work on improving DFID’s Corporate Risk Register;
- agreed the new format;
- asked some specific questions about the ratings of particular risks;
- asked for Climate Change to be included under risk 5 (inadequate flexibility to meet shocks);
- asked FCPD to investigate what elements of the risk register other Government Departments make public.
Justin Williams
Management Board Secretary
