Annex C
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES
UNDER RAB
This Annex contains two model Statements of Accounting
Officer Responsibilities (SAORs) under RAB: the first for a department
with a single Accounting Officer, the second for a department
with a principal Accounting Officer and one or more additional
Accounting Officers appointed by the Treasury. The precise wording
of these models will be adapted as necessary, in agreement with
the Treasury and the National Audit Office, to meet circumstances
of the particular department concerned.
Possible model SAOR under RAB for a department
with a single Accounting Officer
1. Under the Government Resources and Accounts
Act 2000 [in the interim: Under Section 5 of the Exchequer and
Audit Act 1921] the department is required to prepare resource
accounts for each financial year, in conformity with a Treasury
direction, detailing the resources acquired, held, or disposed
of during the year and the use of resources by the department
during the year.
2. The resource accounts are prepared on
an accruals basis and must give a true and fair view of the state
of affairs of the Department, the net resource outturn, resources
applied to objectives, recognised gains and losses and cash flows
for the financial year.
3. The Treasury has appointed the Permanent
Head of the Department as Accounting Officer of the Department
with responsibility for preparing the Department's accounts and
for transmitting them to the Comptroller and Auditor General.
4. In preparing the accounts the Accounting
Officer is required to comply with the Resource Accounting Manual
prepared by the Treasury, and in particular to:
— observe the relevant accounting and
disclosure requirements, and apply suitable accounting policies
on a consistent basis;
— make judgements and estimates on
a reasonable basis;
— state whether applicable accounting
standards, as set out in the Resource Accounting Manual, have
been followed, and disclose and explain any material departures
in the accounts;
— prepare the accounts on a going concern
basis.
5. The responsibilities of an Accounting
Officer, including responsibility for the propriety and regularity
of the public finances for which an Accounting Officer is answerable,
for keeping proper records and for safeguarding the Department's
assets, are set out in the Accounting Officers' Memorandum, issued
by the Treasury and published in Government Accounting.
Possible model SAOR under RAB for a department
with a principal Accounting Officer and one or more additional
Accounting Officers
1. Under the Government Resources and Accounts
Act 2000 [in the interim: Under Section 5 of the Exchequer and
Audit Act 1921] the Department is required to prepare resource
accounts for each financial year, in conformity with a Treasury
direction, detailing the resources acquired, held, or disposed
of during the year and the use of resources by the department
during the year.
2. The resource accounts are prepared on
an accruals basis and must give a true and fair view of the state
of affairs of the Department, the net resource outturn, resources
applied to objectives, recognised gains and losses and cash flows
for the financial year.
3. The Treasury has appointed the Permanent
Head of the Department as principal Accounting Officer of the
Department with overall responsibility for preparing the Department's
accounts and for transmitting them to the Comptroller and Auditor
General.
4. In preparing the accounts the principal
Accounting Officer is required to comply with the Resource
Accounting Manual prepared by the Treasury, and in particular
to:
— observe the relevant accounting and
disclosure requirements, and apply suitable accounting policies
on a consistent basis;
— make judgments and estimates on a
reasonable basis;
— state whether applicable accounting
standards, as set out in the Resource Accounting Manual,
have been followed, and disclose and explain any material departures
in the accounts;
— prepare the accounts on a going concern
basis.
5. In addition the Treasury has appointed
[an] [additional] Accounting Officer[s] to be accountable for
that part/those parts of the Department's accounts relating to
[a] specified request[s] for resources and the associated assets,
liabilities and cash flows. This appointment/these appointments
do not detract from the Head of Department's overall responsibility
as Accounting Officer for the department's accounts and overall
net cash requirement.
6. The allocation of Accounting Officer
responsibilities in the department is as follows:
Request for Resources 1: [name and title
of Accounting Officer]
Request for Resources 2: [name and title
of Accounting Officer]
7. The responsibilities of an Accounting
Officer, including responsibility for the propriety and regularity
of the public finances for which an Accounting Officer is answerable,
for keeping proper records and for safeguarding the Department's
assets, are set out in the Accounting Officers' Memorandum issued
by the Treasury and published in Government Accounting.
Under the terms of the Accounting Officers' Memorandum the relationship
between the Department's principal and additional Accounting Officers,
together with their respective responsibilities, is set out in
writing.
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