(1)   Which agencies and departments in the Minister’s Portfolio will return money to budget in the 2008-09 financial year as a result of underspends in the 2007-08 financial year; and what sum of money will be returned to the budget from these programs.

(2)   From 1 December 2007 to 30 June 2008, what sum of money has the Government committed to spending under Regulation 10 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 for applicable departments and agencies under the Minister’s portfolio; and how much of this commitment was approved: (a) at the department and agency level; and (b) by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation.

(3)   What sum of depreciation funding: (a) is available for each department and agency in the Minister’s portfolio as at 30 June 2008; (b) was spent by each department and agency in the Minister’s portfolio in the 2007-08 financial year; and (c) was spent by each department and agency in the Minister’s portfolio in the 2007-08 year to directly replace assets for which it is appropriated.

(1)   The Department of Health and Ageing returned $693,869,561 to consolidated revenue due to underspends in 2007-08. Cancer Australia returned $151.

(2)   Spending proposals must satisfy all the requirements of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) and its regulations, including obtaining regulation 10 where required, prior to commitment. Attachment A lists the number and amount of all spending proposals approved under Regulation 10 of the FMA Act for the period 1 December 2007 to 30 June 2008.

(3)   Since the introduction of accrual budgeting in 1999-2000, departments and agencies have been appropriated for some non cash items, including depreciation. The accumulated funds are included as ‘appropriation receivable’ in each agency’s balance sheet. These funds are available to the department and agencies to meet expenditure as required, including for the replacement of assets. The department and agencies do not separately identify funds held for the purchase of assets. Attachment B shows the estimated funding required to support the forecast depreciation expense for the 2007-08 financial year, depreciation expense in 2007-08 and the amount spent on assets in 2007-08.

ATTACHMENT A

Amounts approved under Regulation 10 of the FMA Act for 1 December 2007 to 30 June 2008

There were no amounts approved by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation.

The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman and the Professional Service Review did not approve any amounts under Regulation 10 of the FMA Act during the period in question.

ATTACHMENT B

The following table shows the estimated funding required to support the forecast depreciation expense for the 2007-08 financial year, depreciation expense in 2007-08 and the amount spent on assets in 2007-08.

Source:

Estimated funding required to support the forecast depreciation expense in 2007-08 listed in the departmental income statement of the Portfolio Budget Statements 2008-09.

Depreciation expense is the amount of depreciation and amortisation expenses in the agency annual reports for 2007-08.

Expenditure on assets is the amount of cash used for the purchase of property, plant and equipment and intangibles in agency annual reports for 2007-08.