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Architects Registration Board
Date: 26 November 2009
Ref: FOI – Europe
By Email
Dear Mr Salisbury,
Freedom of Information Request
Thank you for your request of 29 October 2009, in which you made the fol owing request
for information.
1. The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations
2007 were brought into force on the 19th October 2007, and the Architects
(Recognition of the European Qualifications etc and saving and Transitional
Provisions) Regulations 2008 were brought into force on the 20th June 2008. I think
that the “enforce” period wil have been long enough for the Board to have gathered
information that gives the costs to the Board arising out of those Regulations.
I would be grateful if you would let me have details of those costs, and annualised.
I have considered your request for information very careful y. I have interpreted it to mean
that you require information on the Board’s expenditure in relation to the execution of its
duties relating to the Qualifications Directive and associated regulations.
Having looked at the expenditure directly relating to the legislation, I have identified the
fol owing area of cost: legal advice, updating guidance, devising provisions for Part 2 of
the Register and costs associated with the notification of qualifications to the European
Commission. I am, however, unable to identify specific staff costs incurred in this area,
as we do not calculate staff resources directly to actual activities.
Whilst I am able to provide the breakdown of the costs listed below, I must point out that
the Board has always incurred costs in relation to its role as a competent authority. As
you wil appreciate, the early years of any new Directive are likely to attract exceptional
costs.
Legal advice:
2007 = £58,854
2008 = £54,542
2009 = £34,793
Updating published guidance = £4,000
Devising system for Part 2 registration = £6,000
Associated costs of notification of Qualifications to Europe since 2008 = £7,138
Part 2 of your request stated:
2. I am aware that the Board also pay for subscription to the Architects Council of
Europe and engages in the activity of that Council. I am particularly interested to
know whether the above two sets of regulations have affected the level of the Boards
activities in respect of this Council. May I therefore know how much the Board
spends on this activity, and its subscription, for the past 3 years (that is for 2008,
2007 and 2006) together with any provisional figures that you may have concerning
expenditure for the current year. May I please ask you to identify in your figures
(a) the amounts paid to Board members and expenses set against number of
foreign trips undertaken (which number please provide); and
(b) the same for the Board’s officers;
(c) the costs of payments to third parties including (which includes itemised) ACE;
and
(d) internal administration and all associations including staff costs.
The Board has been a joint member of the Architects Council of Europe with the RIBA for
the last nine years. Membership costs are split between the two organisations, as is
attendance at various meetings of the Council. The subscription costs are listed below.
2006 = £31,461
2007 = £31,755
2008 = £37,179
2009 = £40,313
As the subscription fee is payable in Euros, the exchange rate has had a significant
impact on the actual cost to ARB.
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Please find attached as Annex A a breakdown of the costs you have asked for in (a), (b)
and (c). As previously explained, we do not calculate staff resources against individual
activities, so I am unable to provide you with the information requested in (d).
In your request, you were particularly interested to know whether the Qualifications
Directive and regulations have affected the level of the Board’s activities in its dealings
with ACE. Whilst there have been numerous discussions at the General Assembly
meetings of ACE with regards to the Directive, there has only been one attendance by a
member of staff at a specific working group to discuss the Qualifications Directive.
ACE holds two General Assembly meetings a year which are normally attended by two
Board members and the Registrar. ACE also has a number of working groups running
throughout the year, and our attendance is dictated by their relevance to the Board’s
work.
I hope the information provided is of assistance, but please do not hesitate to contact me
if I can assist further.
Yours sincerely
Karen Holmes
Deputy Registrar and Head of Registration
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