Officers of the Legislature


OFFICERS OF THE LEGISLATURE

SUMMARY
($000)

	Estimates 2003/04¹	Estimates 2004/05¹

VOTED APPROPRIATIONS
Vote 2 Ч Auditor General.	7,901	7,069
Vote 3 Ч Conflict of Interest Commissioner.	292	292
Vote 4 Ч Elections BC.	7,509	13,508
Vote 5 Ч Information and Privacy Commissioner.	1,972	2,133
Vote 6 Ч Ombudsman	4,050	3,097
Vote 7 Ч Police Complaint Commissioner	985	985

OPERATING EXPENSE	22,709	27,084


PREPAID CAPITAL ADVANCES ²	Ч	Ч


CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ³	1,297	508


LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ⁴	Ч	Ч


REVENUE COLLECTED FOR, AND TRANSFERRED TO, OTHER ENTITIES ⁵	Ч	Ч


FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT ⁶	211	190


NOTES

¹			For comparative purposes only, figures shown for 2003/04 expense, FTEs and capital expenditures have been restated to be consistent with the presentation of the 2004/05 Estimates.а Schedule A presents a detailed reconciliation.
²			Details of prepaid capital advances are presented in Schedule C.
³			Details of capital expenditures are presented in Schedule D.
⁴			Details of loans, investments and other requirements are presented in Schedule E.
⁵			Details of revenue collected for, and transferred to, other entities are presented in Schedule F.
⁶			Details of FTEs are presented in Schedule G.

SUMMARY

$000

2003/04

2004/05 ESTIMATES

OPERATING EXPENSE

Net

Gross

External
Recoveries

Net

Auditor General

7,901

9,369

(2,300)

7,069

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

292

292

Elections BC

7,509

13,508

Information and Privacy Commissioner

1,972

2,148

(15)

2,133

Ombudsman

4,050

3,167

(70)

3,097

Police Complaint Commissioner

985

985

ааааа TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

22,709

29,469

(2,385)

27,084

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Net

Disbursements

Receipts

Net

Auditor General

190

200

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

Elections BC

1,005

195

Information and Privacy Commissioner

Ombudsman

Police Complaint Commissioner

ааааа TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

1,297

508



SUMMARY
$000

	Estimates 2003/04	Estimates 2004/05


VOTE 2 - AUDITOR GENERAL

This vote provides for the operations of the Office of the Auditor General. The Auditor General, an officer of the Legislature under the authority of the Auditor General Act, exists to help members of the Legislative Assembly hold the government accountable. Through its audit opinions, the Auditor General gives legislators audit assessments about the fairness and reliability of the financial statements and public accounts of the government. The Auditor General also assesses the operations and performance of the government's programs and services. The reports of the Auditor General are tabled with the Legislative Assembly and discussed, in a public forum, with the Public Accounts Committee of the legislature.аCosts incurred for certain audits and related services are recovered from parties external to government.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Auditor General	7,901	7,069

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Auditor General	190	200

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Auditor General	103	95

VOTE 3 - CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the operation of the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.а The Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature with a mandate under the Members' Conflict of Interest Act to meet the requirements under the Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Conflict of Interest Commissioner	292	292

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Conflict of Interest Commissioner	Ч	3

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Conflict of Interest Commissioner	2	2


VOTE 4 - ELECTIONS BC

This vote provides for the ongoing operating costs of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer and provides for the administration of provincial elections, plebiscites, voter registration and list maintenance, enumerations, referenda, electoral boundaries, election financing, registration of political parties and constituency associations, recall petitions, initiative petitions and initiative votes, and other aspects of the provincial electoral process. The Chief Electoral Officer is an officer of the Legislature and is responsible for the administration of the Election Act and the Recall and Initiative Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Elections BC	7,509	13,508

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Elections BC	1,005	195

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Elections BC	39	39



VOTE 5 - INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and provides for other duties and functions given to the Commissioner by statute. The Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), and (effective January 1, 2004) under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), with a broad mandate to protect the rights given to the public under FOIPPA and PIPA. This includes conducting reviews of access to information requests, investigating complaints, monitoring general compliance with the Acts, promoting freedom of information and protection of privacy principles, and overseeing and enforcing the Lobbyist Registry program pursuant to the Lobbyist Registration Act. Costs related to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Conferences are fully recovered from participants and sponsoring agencies.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Information and Privacy Commissioner	1,972	2,133

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Information and Privacy Commissioner	15	20

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Information and Privacy Commissioner	20	17

VOTE 6 - OMBUDSMAN

This vote provides for the salaries, benefits, and expenses for the operation of the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is an officer of the Legislature, under the authority of the Ombudsman Act. The Ombudsman may investigate, either in response to a specific complaint or on the Ombudsman's own initiative, the actions and decisions of government bodies. The jurisdiction of the Ombudsman extends to ministries of the province, Crown corporations, provincially appointed agencies, boards and commissions, school districts, colleges, universities, hospitals, governing bodies of professional and occupational associations, local governments, and regional districts. The Ombudsman may undertake initiatives to increase public understanding of the role of the Ombudsman, and to improve government's and other public bodies' commitment to respect the principles of administrative fairness and natural justice. Some costs incurred are recovered from agencies, individuals, organizations, or other levels of government. Recoveries are also received from the distribution of materials developed by the office.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Ombudsman	4,050	3,097

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Ombudsman	62	65

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Ombudsman	38	31

а а


VOTE 7 - POLICE COMPLAINT COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the salaries of the Police Complaint Commissioner and staff and the costs incurred by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner in dealing with complaints against municipal police and members of policing units designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Police Complaint Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature, under the authority of the Police Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE
Police Complaint Commissioner	985	985

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES
Police Complaint Commissioner	25	25

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT
Police Complaint Commissioner	9	6

а а

GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY

GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION
Salaries and Benefits	15,066	14,100
Operating Costs	9,482	8,296
Government Transfers	61	61
Other Expenses	16	7,012
External Recoveries	(1,916)	(2,385)
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE	22,709	27,084