HAFF Committee Report

Theme 2 - Streamlining and Consolidating Reporting for Parliament

Theme 2 proposals aim to make reports on planning and performance more accessible, and to increase user-friendliness through consolidation.9 If implemented across government, the following changes might be expected:

1. Making pilot Estimates, performance and planning information sites available on the Internet a formal part of the Estimates process would ensure user-friendly electronic access to all reports and relevant background information associated with the Estimates. This central repository would also facilitate more advanced searches on horizontal issues that cut across multiple departments.
2. Consolidation of reporting - departments could use their Departmental Performance Reports and Reports on Plans and Priorities to provide or reference the information needed for other reporting requirements thereby reducing the paper burden on parliamentarians.
3. Executive summaries would be required for longer Departmental Performance Reports and Reports on Plans and Priorities. This proposal aims at reducing the volume of materials in the Estimates that parliamentarians have to scrutinize.
4. Smaller agencies report on plans on a cyclical basis - this would apply only to smaller agencies with limited mandates and stable workloads.

Regarding the proposals found under this theme, Mrs. Barrados of the Office of the Auditor General sees significant opportunities for improvement through electronic reporting and encourages the government to continue moving in this direction.

Efforts must be undertaken to ensure that result based departmental and government reports are easily accessed and user friendly. Easy access must be ensured for both high-level information on programs and detailed information on specific operations of interest to members, academics, and the public.

Mrs. Barrados concurs with the final proposal that there could be some opportunity to consider cyclical reporting in areas of stable mandates and workloads.

The Sub-committee does not agree with the proposal about letting smaller agencies to report on a cyclical basis. We believe that accountability requires all departments and agencies should report on an annual basis.