Cabinet Syrian Paper

Summary

The requester sought the Cabinet Office paper regarding International Aid submitted in August 2018, and the authority disclosed the full document detailing a budget increase allocation.

Key Facts

• The Isle of Man Budget for 2018/19 included an additional £100,000 for International Development Funding.
• The total annual budget for International Development was raised from £2.4 million to £2.5 million.
• The Cabinet Office recommended allocating the increase to existing funding streams, excluding Small Grants and International Development Partnerships due to funding cycles.
• The proposal aligns with the Government Strategic Objective of an 'Inclusive, Caring Society'.
• The paper was submitted to the Council of Ministers on 30 August 2018.

Data Disclosed

• £100,000
• £2.4 million
• £2.5 million
• £300,000
• 2018/19
• 30/08/18
• 9th February 2017
• 095/17
• 18/232

Original Request

I seek the full publication of the paper submitted by the Cabinet Office to the Council of Ministers in regards to International Aid in August 2018. The paper is referred to within a release titled: Extract of Proceedings Council of Ministers August 2018 Part I Decisions made by Council. International Development Funding Allocation Council considered a paper submitted by Cabinet Office and agreed to allocate the funding to the existing International Development funding streams for the financial year 2018/2019.

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

Confidential Page 1 of 5

Council of Ministers Paper No. 18/232

Paper for Council of Ministers
Routine Business

Department/Board/Office Cabinet Office
Chief Officer Will Greenhow, Chief Secretary
Responsible Officer Sam McCauley – Head of External Relations Team Cut ups to be sent to Sam McCauley
Date of Council Meeting
30/08/18

Title International Development - Budget Increase

*Collective Responsibility: (Mandatory field, please choose an option)

Part of the Programme for Government *Which of the 3 Government Strategic Objectives does this proposal comply with?

Inclusive, Caring Society Which of the Council of Ministers Sub- Committees has considered this proposal?

Not applicable The proposal relates only to the Department’s core or statutory responsibilities

Not Applicable

Has appropriate internal and/or public consultation taken place? Internal Are there any resource/personnel implications? Yes Has Treasury concurrence been obtained where necessary? Not applicable Is the Department acting within its legal powers or has legal advice been obtained? (If yes confirm and provide evidence within the paper) Not applicable Are there any inter-Departmental implications?
No If yes, which other Departments are involved?

What is the intention of this paper?
Seek Approval Primary Legislation: Has Council Legislation Subcommittee approved the inclusion of the proposed Bill on the Legislative Programme. If Yes please give decision date:
Choose an item. Major Policy Proposal/Primary Legislation:
Have you completed an Impact Assessment? If yes please attach a copy as an Appendix to the paper. No Have you taken appropriate Corporate Communications Service advice?
Not applicable Does this initiative/announcement have a communications plan?
Not applicable Purpose of the Paper:
This paper seeks approval to allocate the additional £100,000 in International Development Funding for the financial year 2018/19.

Confidential Page 2 of 5

Collective Responsibility/ Programme for Government: Strategic Objective: Inclusive and Caring Society National Indicator: Responsible Island Outcome: We engage, participate and are respected internationally Policy Statement: Maintain our commitment to international development

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Isle of Man Budget for 2018/19 included an increase of £100,000.00 for International Development Funding, raising the annual budget from £2.4 million to £2.5 million.1

1.2 This paper provides a summary of options considered by Cabinet Office and recommendations for the allocation of the increase in budget to existing funding streams for the financial year 2018/19.

1. BACKGROUND

2.1 Council agreed (Minute Ref: 095/17) on the 9th February 2017, that the Cabinet Office is responsible for implementing the Isle of Man Government's policy on International Development and the allocation of funding, within the agreed funding streams and in accordance with the policy of the Council of Ministers. However, Council of Ministers retains responsibility for adjustments in the overall budget provided to each International Development funding stream.

2.2 In accordance with this policy Cabinet Office considered options for allocating the budget increase for the financial year 2018/19. Consideration was given to all existing funding streams however, due to funding cycles, it was not considered feasible for the additional budget to be allocated to the Small Grants or the International Development Partnerships funding streams.

2.3 It was also not considered viable to increase the budget for the Global Development Education and Awareness Grant as current funding is sufficient to deliver the agreed aims of the grant for this financial year.

2.4 Cabinet Office therefore only recommends the allocation of the increase in budget to funding for this financial year to allow full consideration to be given to all funding streams moving forward.

1. OPTIONS FOR ALLOCATION

3.1 Option 1: The Small Countries Financial Management Programme

The Small Countries Financial Management Centre (SCFMC) through the Small Countries Financial Management Programme (SCFMP) contributes to the economic growth and prosperity of small developing countries, through capacity building in their government financial sectors. The agreed annual budget for the SCFMP is currently £300,000 per annum.

1 ‘6.9 Grants Payable, Revenue – Expenditure’, Isle of Man Budget 2018-2019 Isle of Man Government, February 2018. p.26 Confidential Page 3 of 5

Council will be aware that there has been past criticism of providing International Development funding to the SCFMP. Therefore, funded activities need to be aligned to the agreed policy objectives for International Development. Following discussions with the SCFMC summarised below are the activities that Cabinet Office considered for the allocation of additional funding:

1) Regional follow-up Programmes

One, 1 week follow up programme per region per year for past participants to refresh and reinforce knowledge and implementation. This would cost in the region of £85,000 to £90,000 per programme. Or £30,000 if a partner organisation can be found.

2) Enhancing Alumni Engagement

Creation of a members area on the SCFMC website open to alumni and potentially their organisations as a resource to; share information, seek advice from peers, reinforce learning. This would cost in the region of £3,000 to £5,000 to set up initially. - A significant refresh or representation of the existing website is likely to be a one-off cost in the region of £10,000. - Refreshing the content of the website and the member’s area frequently. This is expected to cost in the region of £12,000 per year.

3) Independent Evaluation2

Independent evaluation of the SCFMC to identify the strengths and areas were the SCFMC can improve.
- This will cost an estimated £25,000 to £30,000.

The SCFMC is currently in an early stage of developing these activities. Therefore, given the current resources the SCFMC has available, it is not considered practical to provide additional funding for the SCFMC to develop a regional follow-up programme for this financial year.

However, given the reputational value of the SCFMP, the Cabinet Office recommends that the SCFMP budget be increased to £350,000 for the financial year 2018/19 with the additional funding directed to finance an update to the SCFMC website to create a member’s area to further past participant engagement, and that any remaining funding is used towards an independent evaluation of the SCFMC.

3.2 Option 5: Disasters Emergency Relief

The Disaster Emergency Relief Budget is used to provide a swift and effective response to international humanitarian crises. This budget of £600,000 per year is reserved for Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) live appeals.

2 The last assessment took place in 2012 and the previous administration, and the former International Development Committee, had expressed that an independent assessment would be beneficial to identify the long term benefits delivered through the programme (Minute Ref 437/15).

Confidential Page 4 of 5

Council agreed in February 2018 (Minute Ref: 17/029), if the funding reserved for Disaster Emergency Relief is not expended in a particular year, it should be redirected at the end of that financial year by one large donation to a major international charity working on an international humanitarian crisis. This allows the Isle of Man Government to continue to provide emergency relief even if there are no live DEC appeals.

In the year 2017-2018 COPG donated the Emergency Relief fund to three appeals; the East Africa Crisis Appeal, the Yemen Crisis Appeal and the Emergency Appeal for People fleeing Myanmar. The total funding provided to the DEC in 2017/18 was £728,166.93. This included the full £600,000 Emergency Relief Budget, as well as unallocated expenditure accrued from other funding streams.

Increasing the Disaster and Emergency Relief Budget from £600,000 to £700,000 per annum would enable the Isle of Man to increase the level of lifesaving support it provides to the victims of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises. Thus ensuring we continue to meet the International Development Policy objective, to ‘provide a swift response to international humanitarian crises’.

Cabinet Office therefore recommends that the budget be increased to £650,000 for the financial year 2018/19.

1. PROPOSED BUDGET BREAKDOWN

4.1 Below is a table indicating the proposed International Development Budget for 2018/2019.3

2018/19 Proposed International Development Budget
Funding Stream Original Budget Proposed Budget
Notes Disaster and Emergency Relief
£600,000.00 £650,000.00 Including increase of £50,000 Small Grants
£270,000.00 £270,000.00 Funding Cycle Ends July 2019
GDEAG £30,000.00 £30,000.00 Current Grant expires August 2019 SCFMP £300,000.00 £350,000.00 Including increase of £50,000
International Development Partnerships £1,200,000.00 £1,200,000.00 Funding Cycle ends July 2020
Total £2,400,000.00 £2,500,000.00

3 Not including accruals Confidential Page 5 of 5

1. RECOMMENDATION

5.1 That Council agrees to:

i. Allocate the additional £100,000 of International Development Funding for the 2018/19 financial year as follows:

• £50,000 to the Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund; and

• £50,000 to the Small Countries Financial Management Program.

ii. Cabinet Office submitting a further recommendation for the allocation of the additional £100,000 of International Development Funding for the remainder of this administration by April 2019.

Will Greenhow Cabinet Office
August 2018

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 668177 11 December 2018

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 30 November 2018 and which states:

"I seek the full publication of the paper submitted by the Cabinet Office to the Council of Ministers in regards to International Aid in August 2018. The paper is referred to within a release titled: Extract of Proceedings Council of Ministers August 2018 Part I Decisions made by Council. International Development Funding Allocation Council considered a paper submitted by Cabinet Office and agreed to allocate the funding to the existing International Development funding streams for the financial year 2018/2019."

A copy of the requested Paper is attached.

Please quote the reference number 668177 in any future communications.

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Yours sincerely