House of Commons Amendments

House of Commons

Session 2009 - 10
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Notices of Amendments: 25 February 2010
1090

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill, continued

Accounts

17  (1)
The Commission must keep proper accounts and proper records in relation to

them.

      (2)
The Commission must prepare a statement of accounts for each financial year

(see paragraph 19).

      (3)
The statement must give a true and fair view of—

(a)
the state of the Commission’s affairs at the end of the financial year,

and

(b)
the Commission’s income and expenditure and cash flows in the

financial year.

      (4)
The statement must be in compliance with any directions given by the Minister

for the Civil Service with the Treasury’s approval as to—

(a)
the information to be contained in the statement,

(b)
the manner in which the information is to be presented, or

(c)
the methods and principles according to which the statement is to be

prepared.

      (5)
The Commission must send the statement to the Minister at such time as the

Minister may direct.

      (6)
The Minister must then send the statement to the Comptroller and Auditor

General.

      (7)
The Comptroller and Auditor General must—

(a)
examine, certify and report on the statement, and

(b)
lay copies of the statement and the report before Parliament (unless it

has been arranged for the Minister to do so).

Reports

18  (1)
The Commission—

(a)
must, as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year (see

paragraph 19), prepare a report about the carrying out of its functions

during the year, and

(b)
may prepare a report at any other time about any matter relating to the

carrying out of its functions.

      (2)
As soon as practicable after preparing a report under sub-paragraph (1), the

Commission must give a copy of the report to the Minister for the Civil Service

and to the First Ministers for Scotland and Wales.

      (3)
The Commission must then publish the report in the way the Commission

thinks appropriate.

      (4)
The Minister for the Civil Service must lay a copy of the report before

Parliament (unless it has been arranged for the Comptroller and Auditor

General to do so).

      (5)
The First Minister for Scotland must lay a copy of the report before the Scottish

Parliament.

      (6)
The First Minister for Wales must lay a copy of the report before the National

Assembly for Wales.

Meaning of “financial year”

19
For the purposes of paragraphs 17 and 18, each of the following is a “financial

year”—

(a)
the period which begins when this Schedule comes into force and ends

with the following 31 March;

Notices of Amendments: 25 February 2010
1091

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill, continued

(b)
each successive period of 12 months.

Documentary evidence

20  (1)
The application of the Commission’s seal is to be authenticated by the

signature of any of the following—

(a)
a member of the Commission;

(b)
if the Commission’s staff includes a chief executive, the chief

executive;

(c)
any person authorised (whether generally or specifically) for the

purpose by anyone within sub-paragraph (a) or (b).

      (2)
A document purporting to be duly executed under the Commission’s seal or

signed on its behalf—

(a)
is to be received in evidence, and

(b)
is to be taken to be executed or signed in that way, unless the contrary

is proved.

      (3)
This paragraph does not extend to Scotland.’.



© Parliamentary copyright 2010	Revised 26 February 2010