XN000022-1976-06-28 — Page 3

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MONDAY, JUNË 28, 1976

RECURRENT GRANTS ARE DISCRETIONARY, HE CONTINUED, AND STRESSED THAT IT IS THE SERVICES, NOT THE AGENCIES, THAT ARE SUBVENTED, AND THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE SUBVENTED, MUST BE IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.

AS FOR CONTROL, MR. BRADLEY SAID THAT ONCE A SERVICE COMES ONTO SUBVENTION, RULES START TO APPLY BECAUSE TAXPAYER'S MONEY IS INVOLVED. BUT AS THE SUBVENTIONS ARE DISCRETIONARY, THE RULES ARE LESS COMPREHENSIVE THAN FOR DEFICIENCY GRANTS.

+THE ESSENTIAL FEATURE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF AGENCIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPROVED BUDGETS WITHIN ANY FINANCIAL YEAR.

+SO, IN BROAD TERMS, HAVING ARRIVED AT A SUBVENTION FIGURE FOR A PARTICULAR SERVICE, PROVIDED THE AGENCY CONCERNED GETS ON WITH PROVIDING THAT SERVICE IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, THE FINANCE BRANCH DOES NOT INTERFERE.+

HE EXPLAINED THAT DETAILED BUDGET SUBMISSIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR TWO REASONS. THE FIRST IS SO THAT S.W.A.C. CAN REACH A VIEW ON THE WAY IN WHICH SUBVENT BLE SERVICES ARE BEING PROVIDED, AND ON THE CAPABILITY OF AGENCIES TO EXPAND SERVICES OR PROVIDE NEW SERVICES WITHIN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR EXISTING AND NEW SERVICES.

THE SECOND REASON IS TO DETERMINE WHAT GRANT SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE NEXT YEAR AFTER REACHING A VIEW ON THE GENERAL EFFICIENCY OF AN AGENCY.

THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND THIS IS THE DUTY TO ENSURE THAT ALLOCATIONS WHICH COME FROM PUBLIC FUNDS ARE BEING USED EFFICIENTLY AND TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE.

+WHAT WE IN THE FINANCE BRANCH WANT TO KNOW IS HOW MUCH IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE FOR, IN THIS INSTANCE, SOCIAL WELFARE AGAINST DEFINED NEEDS. HENCE THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND THEN TO MEASURE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE YEAR BY YEAR IN ARRIVING AT REVISIONS OF THE PLAN AND THE PROVISION OF FUNDS, HE SAID.

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