Type: Departments / Units

Budget Affairs Division

The Budget Affairs Division incorporates three Directorates.  Its main areas of responsibility include the compilation of the Financial Estimates presented to Parliament together with the annual budget, ensuring that public funds are utilised to achieve the desired outcomes and advising on Malta’s positions with respect to the EU budget.


 

Budget Directorate

 

Mission Statement

The Budget Directorate ensures that the budgetary process incorporating Ministries, Departments and Public Entities, is managed in a timely manner.  Advice and support are provided for the identification, apportionment and utilisation of the financial resources of the government, to enable the government to sustain commitments and achieve its objectives, within the parameters of a consolidated financial plan.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The compilation, publication and monitoring of the Constitution of Malta and financial legislation, as part of the annual budget process.

Core Functions

  • Providing advice on draft Financial Estimates of government, in reflection of set priorities;
  • Compiling draft annual and medium-term expenditure and revenue projections for ministries, departments and public entities;
  • Keeping in perspective the aggregate budgetary targets of the Government, throughout the public finance management cycle;
  • Recommending upon timely corrective measures, where issues of budget containment or revenue shortfalls are envisaged, as the financial year unfolds;
  • Co-ordinating all legislation pertaining to the implementation of the initiatives emanating from the annual Budget Speech for eventual debate and legislation in the House of Representatives;
  • Monitoring of recurrent expenditure, capital expenditure, and revenue collection of ministries, departments and government entities, with a view towards providing updates within the context of aggregate budgetary targets;
  • Developing and implementing financial policies and procedures with which to guide and monitor revenue and expenditure, ensuring value for money performance
  • Identifying potential room for efficiencies, through strategic, financial and operational evaluations and other techniques;
  • Monitoring the revised estimates of ministries and departments, as well as the financial and management accounts of entities with particular attention to revenue, spending and expenditure plans;
  • Preparation of financial and business statements, status reviews, and other financial management reports;
  • Implementing an offsetting procedure involving dues to and from Government;
  • Where applicable, dealing with non-delegated matters which, through legislation, are vested in the Minister responsible for finance.

Additional Information

Budget Directorate Resources

Budget Documentation

Organizational Structure


 

Performance and Evaluation Directorate

 

Mission Statement

The Performance and Evaluation (PE) Directorate forms part of the Budget Affairs Division. The Directorate supports the Ministry for Finance in enhancing accountability for public expenditure whilst ensuring that public funds are spent effectively and efficiently to achieve the government’s desired outcomes. The directorate oversees initiatives aimed to strengthen the value-for-money culture within government and enhance programme evaluation capabilities.

Main Areas of Responsibility

The Directorate is headed by a Director and is composed of three units which are:

  • Spending Review and Financial Policy
  • Government Corporate Expenditure
  • Tax, Schemes and Local Councils

Core functions

  • Carry out, on an ongoing basis, a review of existing financial management policies and procedures and to make recommendations for updating where necessary;
  • Contribute to the implementation of reporting frameworks that build on best practice and ensure effective and efficient reporting standards for government financial data;
  • Carry out comprehensive spending reviews, value for money assessments and cost-benefits analysis;
  • Further develop the introduction of key performance indicators, budget measures and simplification measures that each Ministry is committed to, through the implementation of the Government’s programme and budget;
  • Monitor developments of public sector innovation and transformation, assessing the likely impact of the identified trends and proposing new policies where applicable;
  • Collect regular economic and financial intelligence and to carry out or coordinate ongoing economic and financial analysis and to report and advise on proposed/effective changes in government-induced/market costs impacting on the economy generally and the public budget more specifically, with special focus on specific sectoral areas such as the environment, energy, telecommunications, etc;
  • Provide financial advice and direction to Ministries and entities on matters related to Pay and Conditions of Service;
  • Setting policy and providing lead in matters of government corporate expenditure, including government transport and government travel;
  • To advise on policies related to the maintenance of an asset register by Government that comprises all state property and other assets, defining its physical and legal characteristics and its potential for wealth generation;
  • Act as lead on funds and schemes issued and/or managed by the Ministry for Finance and liaise on such matters with Ministries on their respective schemes and grants;
  • Draft and publish Government Notices for schemes which fall within the remit of the Ministry for Finance;
  • Carry out the assessment of business plans as submitted by the Department for Local Government and Local Councils;
  • Lead and assess budget measures in conjunction with Transport Malta and the Office of the Commissioner for Revenue;
  • Assess and advise upon the business plans submitted by public entities and carry out value-for-money reviews for line Ministries and entities within the public sector;
  • Follow-up on National Audit Office and Internal Audit and Investigations Department reports and propose actions as necessary;
  • Carry out the necessary analysis and attend Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings of companies in which government has a holding stake.

Address:

Performance and Evaluation Directorate,
Budget Affairs Division,
Ministry for Finance and Financial Services,
3A, Old Mint Street,
Valletta.

Email:

pspe.mfe@gov.mt

Additional Information

Organizational Structure


 

EU Budget Directorate

 

Mission Statement

To ensure that EU budget related matters are monitored and dealt with so that Malta’s interests are fully safeguarded.

Main Areas of Responsibility
 
 

To assist in the preparation of the national position and support negotiations on the finalization, adoption, mid-term revision and ongoing reviews of the EU seven-year multi-annual financial framework (which sets annual ceilings for EU expenditure), so that Malta obtains the maximum possible allocation from the EU budget and has the most possible favourable budgetary balance.

Core functions

 
  • To provide Malta’s position on regular new proposals on EU expenditure as well as on its financing;
  • To calculate Malta’s and other Member States’ shares from various EU funds and programmes on the basis of different allocation criteria and monitor payments received from the EU;
  •  To assess all Malta’s contributions to the EU own resources and compile and submit to the Commission related annual statements;
  •  To provide Malta’s position during the successive stages of the procedures leading to the adoption of the EU annual budget, regular amending budgets and regular transfers by the Commission and other EU Institutions;
  • To determine the financial and budgetary repercussions of EU communications and proposals for legislation;
  • To represent Malta in committee and bilateral meetings dealing with EU budget related matters.

Additional Information

Corporate Services

Mission Statement

To provide support services to other departments, organisations and secretariats of the Ministry in the areas of financial planning and management, human resource management, information technology and customer care.

Main Objectives

  • To provide support and advice to the Permanent Secretary, and, through him, to the Minister on all Ministry-wide issues and initiatives.
  • To advise the Permanent Secretary, the Directors General and the Directors on matters of finance and administration.
  • To co-ordinate the production of Business Plans and annual Financial Estimates for the Ministry, including those for the statutory organisation of which the Ministry is responsible.
  • To co-ordinate at Ministry level reports on actual expenditure and revenue.
  • To manage effectively the financial and other resources entrusted to those Departments in the Ministry which do not have an ‘in-house’ capability to do so.
  • To provide Human Resources Services to Departmental managers and to give advice and guidance on the implementation and interpretation of People and Standards Division policy and practice.
  • To facilitate the timely introduction of the relevant Public Service reform initiatives on a Ministry-wide basis and to monitor the progress of their implementation.
  • To provide, in co-operation with the Institute for Public Services, for the training requirements of the staff of the various Departments of the Ministry.
  • To co-ordinate and to oversee the development and maintenance of the required Information Systems in the Ministry.

Finance Section

Managed by: Mr Raymond Grech – Senior Manager (Accounting and Finance)

The duties of the Finance Section include:

  •  Accounting for expenditure and Revenue of the Ministry for Finance
  •  The issuing of payment vouchers and schedules of payments in favour of other Government Ministries and Departments
  •  Co-ordinating the submission of the business and Financial Plans and Annual Financial Estimates for all the Directorates, Departments and Entities within MFIN
  •  Overview of the availability of funds under the Recurrent and Capital Vote of the Ministry for Finance
  •  Drafting of replies to PQs on finance matters
  •  Drafting of related Policies
  • Travel and Fleet management

Procurement Section

Managed by: Mr Victor Mallia – Officer in Grade 5

The duties of the Procurement Section include:

  •  Procurement of goods and services as per the current Government procurement regulations
  •  Stores management
  •  Issuing of local purchase orders,
  •  PQs on procurement matters
  • Asset and Inventory Management
  • Secretary to the Evaluation Committees
  • Secretary to the Departmental Contracts Commitee

Human Resources:-

Managed by: Ms Joanne Calleja – Assistant Director (Human Resources)

The duties of the Human Resources People Management Section include:

  • Family Friendly Measures (telework, reduced hours, etc.), in accordance with Manual on Work-life Balance Measures
  • Drafting of related policie
  • Special leave (cultural, sports, to take up alternative employment in the private sector, vocational, voluntary, etc.), in accordance with the Manual for Special Leave
  • Donation of leave and utilisation of such leave for humanitarian reasons
  • Detailing/deployment of employees on ‘grounds of public policy’ with public sector entities and related revocations
  • Reinstatements/re-employments
  • Grievances Cases
  • Dealing with Audits and Audit reports
  • Extension of service beyond retirement age
  • Appointment Letters
  • Confirmation of appointments
  • Private Work
  • Employee Well-being
  • Gender Mainstreaming and NCPE issues
  • Discipline
  • Quality and Standard procedures (Directive 4)
  • Directive 3
  • Skills Profiling
  • Changes in appraisers/appraises in relation to Performance Appraisal
  • Setting and updating of databases in respect People Management Affairs
  • Recording of movement of staff
  • Compilation of data for PQs, FOIs, etc.
  • Any other matters relating to conditions of service and other People Management Issues
  • Payroll generation
  •  Time off in lieu records
  •  Sick leave and vacation leave records
  •  Online Vacation Leave system
  •  Progressions and Promotions
  •  GP47
  •  Updating of Personal Record Sheets
  •  Personal Files of Central MFIN and EPD employees
  • Compiling of the HR Business plan and implementation
  • Deployment of staff and restructuring

Scheduling of calls and implementation:

  •  Drafting and vetting of calls for applications
  •  Drawing up of Position description
  •  Appointment of selection boards in relation to the call
  •  Publication of results following the selection process
  •  Recruitment and appointment of staff
  •  Movement of personnel
  •  Drawing up and renewals of Contracts for Services, Trust Engagements, Minister’s Secretariat
  •  Compiling and updating of Organisational Charts

Projects and Asset Management

General maintenance

Administration

Projects at MFIN and Line departments

Registry

Retention Policy

Strategy and Support Division

The Strategy and Support Division incorporates two Directorates, namely the Policy Development and Programme Implementation Directorate and the Corporate Services Directorate. The Division provides the appropriate operational support in the realisation of the Ministry’s goals and objectives. It co-ordinates the planning and execution of the strategic plans across the Ministry. The Division co-ordinates the compilation of Business Plans, Financial Estimates and the Human Resources Plans. The Division is also responsible for ensuring that Budget Measures, Simplification Measures and Electoral Manifesto measures assigned to the Ministry are duly implemented and reporting obligations are met in full. The Division also co-ordinates EU related matters within the remit of this Ministry, both at a domestic level and with other EU stakeholders.