Executive Committee Summary Minutes of 29th November 2005

Attendees

David Varney - Chairman
Mike Eland - Director General
Mike Hanson - Director General
Dave Hartnett - Director General
David Hogg - Acting General Counsel and Solicitor
Stephen Jones - Director of Finance
Bernadette Kenny - Acting Director General
Steve Lamey - Director General and Chief Information Officer

Carol Lunney, Emma Broadbent and Micah Kent - Secretariat

Apologies:

Steve Heminsley - Director of Organisational Development

Also Attending for relevant items:

Gabs Makhlouf, Nigel Williams, Chris Hopson

Contents

1 Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting of 15th November were cleared with amendments.

2 IMS Strategy Update

Steve Lamey updated ExCom on the IMS Strategy, including its relationship with the wider Departmental strategy, the IMS Mission Statement, how technology can be exploited to improve productivity and new technologies / trends (such as mobile and cost saving technologies and real time operational information).

3 Government Banking Project (GBP)

Stephen Jones and Gabs Makhlouf outlined the background to the GBP including the banking requirements of HMRC, National Savings & Investments and the Office of the Paymaster General (OPG), wider government drivers for change, the opportunities and challenges for HMRC and next steps / decisions required.

ExCom agreed the proposals subject to an external due diligence review.

4 Outline Business Cases for Programmes

Nigel Williams (NW) updated ExCom on progress in developing the HMRC Change Portfolio as a precursor to investment decisions for the 2006/7 planning round. NW outlined the Impact Assessment Group’s analysis of several change programmes and projects – including a number of generic issues such as risk management and HR costs.
ExCom provided a number of specific comments for each of the programmes and projects.

5 External Issues

David Varney updated ExCom on his recent meetings with OGC and with Ministers, including discussions on the Comprehensive Spending Review.

ExCom also discussed the Stakeholder Event at 1 Horse Guards Road, on 28th November. Feedback received from invitees was very good and follow up events are planned in 2006.

6 AOB

David Hogg updated ExCom on forthcoming judgements on litigation cases. ExCom also agreed that Legal and Governance should be consulted over all future procurement of legal advice.

ME updated ExCom on cross-Directorate work to produce an action plan to tackle MTIC fraud.
Dave Hartnett updated ExCom on recent work undertaken by the Special Civil Investigations and Anti-Avoidance directorates.

Mike Hanson (MH) updated ExCom on work to measure sickness absence. The results will be passed onto ExCom members to write out to Directors.

ExCom noted the successful conclusion of the negotiated settlement with EDS, with aggregated compensation of £71.25m.

ExCom discussed and agreed the re-assignment of responsibilities formerly held by Helen Ghosh. MH will assume responsibility for Public Interest Disclosure, Health & Safety, Corporate Social Responsibility and leading on Freedom of Information. ME will be the ExCom lead on the Euro and Bernadette Kenny will be the Diversity Champion for Women.

The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be on the 6th December, 10.30am, room 4/58.1, 100 Parliament Street, London.

Executive Committee Secretariat