I'd like to call the meeting of the Subcommittee on Committee Budgets of the Liaison Committee to order.
I just want to read a statement, for the record, to clarify the role of the Liaison Committee and, by extension, the subcommittee with regard to consideration of budget requests put forward by the committees.
It has been mentioned in the past that this committee, the subcommittee, expects that when a committee puts forward a request for funding it has given careful consideration to its request and that it consequently brings forward a comprehensive, complete, and definitive proposal. I want to point out that while considering requests for funding, the Liaison Committee examines not only the amount of funding but also the conditions under which this funding is required. Such conditions relate to its study dates, duration, number of participants, and destinations.
I therefore want to remind the chairs and members of all committees that once the Liaison Committee has approved the funding, the conditions should not be altered after the fact. For example, members can appreciate that increases in certain conditions such as the duration of a trip, or the number of participants, or even changing the destinations alters the condition under which the Liaison Committee approval has been given. If a committee finds that it must revise these conditions, whether that be in funding, number of participants, destinations or other, then Liaison Committee approval must be sought again.
It is for this reason that we have before us today a proposal to which the subcommittee has already given approval, but because the original proposal has been amended by the committee in question, it is being resubmitted.
So now we will move in camera to hear all the submissions.
[Proceedings continue in camera]