Question NW3428 to the Minister of Finance
02 October 2015 - NW3428
Maynier, Mr D to ask the Minister of Finance
In respect of the additional cost containment measures for consideration by accounting officers and accounting authorities specified in the National Treasury Instruction 01 of 2013/2014, which specified (a) departments, (b) constitutional institutions and (c) public entities listed on Schedule 2 and 3 of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999, (i) acquired air tickets using corporate air miles accumulated through loyalty programmes, (ii) discontinued supplying employees with newspapers and other publications and (iii) ensured team-building functions, social functions and end-of-year functions, are not financed from the establishment budget in the (aa) 2013-14, (bb) 2014-15 and (cc) 2015-16 financial years?
Reply:
The provisions of paragraph 4 of the National Treasury Instruction 01 of 2013/3014 that relate to expenditure on the engagement of consultants, travel and subsistence, domestic hotel accommodation, hiring of vehicles, entertainment allowances and expenditure related to catering and the hosting of social events are mandatory. The areas contained in the Annexure to the Treasury Instruction are not mandatory for implementation and expenditures related thereto are not auditable.
Therefore information related to (i) the acquisition of air tickets using corporate air miles and (ii) the discontinuing of purchases related to newspapers and other publications are cost containment measures that are not mandatory and can only be obtained directly from the respective departments, constitutional institutions and public entities. The information on expenses related to (iii) team building, social functions and year end functions are specifically precluded from being financed from the budgets of departments. Information related thereto is thus not available from the National Treasury and can be obtained directly from the respective departments, constitutional institutions and public entities.