Vote Office of the Clerk - Estimates 2010/2011

MINISTER(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROPRIATIONS: Speaker of the House of Representatives (M78)

ADMINISTERING DEPARTMENT: Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives

MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Speaker of the House of Representatives

Overview of the Vote#

The Speaker of the House of Representatives is responsible for appropriations in the Vote for the 2010/11 financial year covering the following:

• A total of just over $17 million to assist the Clerk of the House to provide specialist advice on parliamentary procedure and parliamentary law, and administrative services to the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives in the performance of their duties as members of the House.
• A total of just over $1 million to assist the Clerk of the House to provide advice on inter-parliamentary relations to the Speaker and members, establish an annual programme of incoming and outgoing visits, develop and implement individual visit programmes, assist in building the capacity of the Pacific Island parliaments, support the New Zealand Parliament's contribution on global issues at international parliamentary organisations and host international parliamentary conferences.

The Clerk of the House of Representatives is the principal permanent officer of the House and carries out the functions required under section 3 of the Clerk of the House of Representatives Act 1988.

The functions of the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall be:

(a) to note all proceedings of the House of Representatives and of any committee of the House

(b) to carry out such duties and exercise such powers as may be conferred on the Clerk of the House of Representatives by law or by the Standing Orders and practice of the House of Representatives

(c) to act as the principal officer of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives and, in that capacity, to manage that office efficiently, effectively, and economically

(d) to ensure that the members of the staff of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives carry out their duties (including duties imposed on them by law or by the Standing Orders or practice of the House of Representatives) and maintain:

(i) proper standards of integrity and conduct, and

(ii) concern for the public interest

(e) to be responsible, under the direction of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the official report of the proceedings of the House of Representatives and its committees.

The Office of the Clerk, established under section 14 of the Act, assists the Clerk in carrying out these functions.

Details of these appropriations are set out in Parts 2-6 for Vote Office of the Clerk in the Information Supporting the Estimates of Appropriations.