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From the Principal Auditors Report: Sickness
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Sickness Absence in Government Departments, Statutory Authorities and Agencies - In paragraph 3.3.3 of last year's report I explained that the Human Resources Manager informed me on 6 November 2009 that he would be taking up the matter regarding organising a government-wide course on managing absenteeism with the Director of Education and Training. On 23 June 2010, the Human Resources Manager explained that the issue of sickness absence had been discussed intensely and that an unsatisfactory attendance procedure, which would address sickness levels and absenteeism, was being considered and when implemented, arrangements would be made to train line managers throughout the Civil Service on its application. On 17 January 2011, I asked the Human Resources Manager for an update regarding the introduction of the unsatisfactory attendance procedure. The Human Resources Manager explained that an unsatisfactory attendance procedure had been discussed intensely as part of the Forum for Public Sector Strategic Issues and that the Forum was presently assessing the substantial information presented to it.
Pensionable Offices and Pensionable Allowances - On 12 December 2005, I wrote to the Human Resources Manager explaining that there were numerous pensionable posts and pensionable allowances that had not been declared pensionable in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of the Pensions Ordinance (now Act). In those instances where officers had retired from a post not yet declared pensionable, the view had been taken, and accepted by my predecessor and subsequently by me, that the pension award be processed and not delayed unduly because of the anomalous situation, on the strict premise that these posts and allowances be declared pensionable without further delay. I, therefore, requested the Human Resources Manager to carry out the necessary amendments to the law in order to rectify the situation affecting not only officers who had already retired but also officers who would be retiring in the future under the same circumstances.
On 7 February 2006, the Human Resources Manager confirmed to me that the matter was receiving attention and that he would be in a position to complete the exercise within a short timescale. On 23 June 2006, the Human Resources Manager confirmed that an updated list of pensionable offices had been completed and that the list of pensionable allowances would be completed shortly. After numerous amendments to the list of pensionable posts and drafts of the Pensionable Offices Notice, I wrote to the Human Resources Manager on 9 February 2010 requesting an update on both the Pensionable Offices Notice and the Pensions (Allowances) Notice. Despite four reminders, at the close of this report, I had still not received a reply.
Over five years have now elapsed since my first contact with the Human Resources Manager and the proposed amended Pensionable Offices Notice and the Pensions (Allowances) Notice have still not been passed.
Pensions and Gratuities - By agreement, all pensions and gratuities awarded under the provisions of the Pensions Act are pre-audited by the Gibraltar Audit Office.
In the financial year 2009-10, 84 pension awards, excluding revised pensions, were submitted for audit examination. Of these, 28 (33.3%) were found to contain errors/discrepancies and were referred back to the Human Resources Department or the Treasury Department for correction prior to certification. A total of 91 gratuities were awarded during the financial year 2009-10 of which 83 related to commutation
on pension awards, 6 were gratuities paid on resignation from the Government Service, 1 was paid on termination of service in the public interest and 1 was paid to the next of kin of an officer who had died in service. Expenditure on gratuity payments under the Pensions Act for the financial year ended 31 March 2010 was £5.16m compared to £3.98m during the financial year 2008-09.
A total of 40 pension awards were submitted for audit examination during the financial year 2009-10 in respect of officers who qualified for a pension on retirement under the existing provisions of the Pensions Act and were eligible to be granted an up-rating of existing pensions taking into account all periods of public service irrespective of any breaks in service.
Expenditure on pension payments for the financial year 2009-10 stood at £18.16m compared to £17.08m during the previous financial year. The rise of £1.08m (6.3%) is accounted for by a cost of living increase of 2.6% applied to pensions on 1 July 2009, by a net increase of 29 pensioners during the financial year 2009-10 and by additional expenditure on pensions incurred due to the amendment to the legislation referred to in paragraph 3.3.13.
Under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act (WOP's), 1 new pension award was made during the financial year 2009-10, compared to 2 pension awards during the previous financial year. Expenditure on WOP's pension payments for the financial year 2009-10 was £0.22m, the same as in the previous financial year. There was an annual cost of living increase of 2.6% applied to WOP's pensions on 1 July 2009.
During the financial year 2009-10, 1 pension award was made to a former government employee. Expenditure on pension payments to former government employees for the financial year 2009-10 stood at £0.11m, whereas £0.09m was paid in the previous financial year. The annual cost of living increase applied to pensions on 1 July 2009 was 2.6%. The gratuity payment relating to the commutation on the pension award amounted to £0.03m, compared to £0.0lm during the previous financial year.
30-03-11
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