2012-2013 Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences Report
As required by the Treasury Board Directive for the Management of Expenditures on Travel, Hospitality and Conferences, this report provides information on the total annual expenditures for each of travel, hospitality and conferences for Veterans Review and Appeal Board for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013. It also provides the variance explanations from the previous fiscal year in each of these areas.
This information is updated annually and does not contain information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.
Expenditures on travel, hospitality and conferences incurred by federal departments and agencies are for the most part directly related to supporting departmental mandate(s) and the government's priorities.
VRAB exists to ensure that Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members, and their families receive the benefits to which they are entitled under the law. VRAB does this by providing an independent avenue of appeal for disability decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). It is VRAB's job to provide Veterans with fair, impartial, and accessible hearings, and to issue clear decisions in a timely manner.
Further detailed information on VRAB's mandate, priorities, and program activities can be found in the 2013-14 Report on Plans and Priorities.
Expenditures for travel, hospitality and conferences are made in support of VRAB's mandate and business objectives. The majority of travel expenditures relates to Veterans Review and Appeal Board Governor-in-Council members who must travel to approximately 25 locations across Canada to conduct review hearings.
Minimal hospitality expenditures generally are incurred to build and maintain relationships with various Veterans' organizations and support intensive professional development seminars. This allows members and staff to continuously improve the VRAB program delivery.
Finally, in order to prepare VRAB's Members and employees to address the varying needs of the traditional and modern day Veterans, they attend training and seminars to acquire the latest information to better serve our clients.
Total annual expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences of Veterans Review and Appeal Board are summarized below:
| Expenditure Category | VRAB Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2013(a) | VRAB Expenditures for the previous year ending March 31, 2012 (b) | Variance (a - b) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel - Public Servants | $848 | $851 | ($3) |
| Travel - Non-Public Servants | $0 | $1 | ($1) |
| International Travel by Minister and Minister's Staff | - | - | - |
| Total Travel | $848 | $852 | ($4) |
| Hospitality | $6 | $11 | ($5) |
| Conference Fees | $5 | $1 | $4 |
| TOTAL | $859 | $864 | ($5) |
Significant variances compared to the previous fiscal year.
TRAVEL:
- Public Servants: Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, departmental travel expenditures by public servants decreased mainly due to:
- An increased effort in managing travel spending by taking measures to allow savings like using teleconferences and videoconference for meetings and training when the opportunity presented itself.
- Non-Public Servants: In fiscal year 2012-2013, there was no departmental travel expenditures by non-public servants.
- Minister and Minister's Staff: In fiscal year 2012-2013, there was no departmental international travel expenditures.
HOSPITALITY:
- Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, departmental hospitality expenditures decreased mainly due to:
- Continued prudent expenditure management.
CONFERENCE FEES:
- Compared to fiscal year 2011-2012, departmental conference fees expenditures increased slightly mainly due to:
- Spending by attending every second year.
- Learning to maintain/acquire competencies. Virtual Presence not available..