Letter from the Permanent Secretary to the Home Secretary: accessible version
Published 4 July 2019
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Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP
Home Secretary
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
04 July 2019
Dear Home Secretary,
A key government priority is putting right the wrongs suffered by some members of the Windrush generation, including the establishment of a Compensation Scheme.
This note relates to my responsibilities as Accounting Officer. These are set out in Managing Public Money and require Accounting Officers to consider the ‘regularity, propriety, value for money and feasibility’ of public spending.
It would be lawful to make payments for compensation scheme claims. Authorisation for this scheme is also included specifically in the Main Estimates for this financial year. However, under the terms of the 1932 Concordat with the Public Accounts Committee, there is a convention that Parliament will also give specific legislative authority for new expenditure such as this, where payments are expected to be made over a period that is more than two years.
If regularity as defined in Managing Public Money was the only consideration, I would advise against making payments from the Windrush Compensation Scheme until specific legislation is in place. However, it is perfectly legitimate for you to bring other considerations to bear, including the sound policy objectives behind the scheme and the importance of putting right wrongs that have been done. On that basis, you can legitimately decide that payments should be made.
For this reason, I am seeking a formal written direction from you to implement the scheme and to make payments. I will of course follow this direction to the very best of my abilities, ensuring that the department continues to work strenuously to progress this key government priority with all due speed.
Should you issue a direction, I am required to copy all relevant papers to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Treasury Officer of Accounts promptly. We are also going to ensure that the chair of the Public Accounts Committee is informed of this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Sir Philip Rutnam Permanent Secretary