Dr. Italo Scotti Research Department Chamber of deputies

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1 MEETING OF OECD PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICIALS Rome, February 2009 Dr. Italo Scotti Research Department Chamber of deputies

2 Profiles of Italian Parliamentary Budget Institutions Parliamentary bodies and offices in the budget process: The 5 th Committee (Budget, Treasure and Planning): charged with the task of examining budgetary aspects of each bill presented by the government or deputies. The Committee s Secretariat is the technical support unit. The State Budget Department: provides specialized technical support and research for the 5 th Committee and deputies. The Budget Unit of the Research Department: specialized technical support and research unit for the 5 th Committee and deputies.

3 The 5th Committee (Budget, Treasury and Planning) Tasks of the 5 th Committee: Assessment of bills with financial impact on public finance; Preliminary examination of draft budget; Advice to the other Committees and to the House on bills funding and public expenditure entailed by bills and amendments The Committee s Secretariat, professional staff and functions: 3 senior parliamentary officials, 3 research assistants, 5 secretaries: organization of sessions, support to parliamentary procedures; filing and assessment of amendments admissibility; support on drafting bills; examination of bill cost assessments through a specific data-base; management of a link with a data-base of the National Accounting Department (Ragioneria generale dello Stato) for information about state budget items.

4 The State Budget Department The State Budget Department activity: Cost assessment of bills and amendments based on technical reports (if any) that quantify the financial impact in terms of public expenditure; Verification of financial impact for amendments admissibility; Collaboration to the drafting of bills with special regard to their funding; Analysis of public finance components trends Professional staff: 4 senior parliamentary officials; 11 research assistants; 6 secretaries.

5 The Budget Unit of the Research Department The Budget Unit of the Research Department works in close collaboration with Public Income and Finance Unit: Analysis of legislative aspects of bills and amendments presented to the 5 th Committee; Collection and analysis of information and documentation on each topic examined by the 5 th Committee; Technical support on every request of documentation coming from the Chairman and the Members of the 5 th Committee; Technical support to the rapporteur of a bill; Collaboration to the drafting of bills and compilation of reports; Analysis of public finance components trends Professional staff (the same number as the Public Income and Finance Unit): 1-2 senior parliamentary officials; 3 research assistants; 1-2 secretaries.

6 Human resources Senior parliamentary officials have always a degree or a post-degree specialization generally in law, economy or political science. They are responsible for the activity and take part in the Bureau in order to organize the calendar of business. Research assistants have generally a degree in law, economy or political science. They prepare the preliminary documentation of reports. Secretaries have specific computer skills.they assist the activity of the office. The appointment process envisages a public competition for both the role of director and the role of other staff. The employment is permanent.

7 Human resources The Research Department and the State Budget Department generally produce their dossiers making use of internal resources. They rarely call on outside consultants and exclusively for the most complicated issues. Meetings on public finance matters are frequently held on the basis of a mutual cooperation with other public institutions, such as the Bank of Italy, the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the Supreme Audit Institution (Corte dei Conti), the National Accounting Department (Ragioneria generale dello Stato) and other research institutions in the field of fiscal and public finance.

8 Output Number of dossiers published** (new Parliament) State Budget Department 166* 99* Budget Unit and Public Income and Fiscal Unit of the Research Department *Of which n. 3 dossiers together with the Research Department; 4 dossiers in 2007 and 3 dossiers in 2008 have been issued in cooperation with corresponding departments of the Senate **This number does not include drafts on spot requests