FOI/202500463150 · FOI · unclear
Electronic Procurement Card Review Management Report: FOI release
Information requested
With reference to the paragraph on page 5 of the Scottish Procurement And Property Directorate - Electronic Procurement Card Review Management Report, published in January 2024, which says:
"There were a number of categories of expenditure (e.g. away days/staff development/team building and associated purchase of supplies and hospitality, alcohol, role-specific expenditure and traffic fine) which were considered appropriate under the current policy, these categories of spend will be reviewed and policy will be updated to include the necessary exclusions."
Under FOI i'd be grateful if you could provide me with the following information.
The status of any review of these categories of spend, including when it took place, was concluded, and how frequently this criteria is updated. The specific previous policy criteria which related to these categories of expenditure at the time the transactions were made. The current relevant criteria through which transactions of this nature are assessed. A full list of any categories of expenditure which were considered appropriate under the policy in place at the time of the transaction, but which are no longer considered appropriate under any updated guidance.
Response
The answer to your question is. 1. A Electronic Procurement Card: Review Management Report was published 8 January 2024 -
https://www.gov.scot/publications/electronic-procurement-card-review-management-report/documents/
The current Electronic purchasing card (ePC) policy was published 19 January 2024 -
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-electronic-purchasing-card-epc-policy-2/
The policy is currently under review and any changes will be published during 2025.
2. The policy prior to the review was that the specific categories below were excluded. The MCC descriptions are allocated by our ePC provider (Royal Bank of Scotland) to provide a general description of goods/services that suppliers provide.
MCC 13 Personal services MCC 26 Automotive fuel MCC 28 Auto rental MCC 29 Hotels and accommodation MCC 30 Restaurants and bars MCC 32 Leisure activities MCC 34 Cash withdrawals
3. The current policy is that a Director is required to approve and submit a business case if an excluded category is required to be opened to support a business need. MCC 34 for cash withdrawals is never opened.
4. The categories above are still excluded however the policy was updated on 19 January 2024 to include that the purchase of alcohol is barred and corporate 'away days' should take place in public sector venues and traffic fines cannot be paid using an ePC.
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