Government Plan 2021–2024 (P.130/2020): seventeenth amendment (Re-issue) [P.130-2020 Amd.(17)

STATES OF JERSEY

GOVERNMENT PLAN 2021–2024 (P.130/202): SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 30th November 2020 by Deputy K.G. Pamplin of St. Saviour

STATES GREFFE

2020  P.130 Amd.(17)(re-issue)

GOVERNMENT PLAN 2021-2024 (P.130/2020): SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT ____________

1  PAGE 3, PARAGRAPH (j) –

After the words "Appendix 3 to the Report" insert the words –

", except that, on page 60, after the words "when approved by the States Assembly" there should be inserted the following words –

"We commit to funding a Poverty Commission to carry out research into measuring poverty levels in Jersey or, as an alternative, funding to instruct  an  independent  body  (for  example  the  Social  Metrics Commission) to carry out the research on behalf of the Government of Jersey with a view to developing a Poverty Policy. This will be included in the Government Plan for 2022."

DEPUTY K.G. PAMPLIN OF ST. SAVIOUR

Note:  After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to receive the Government Plan 2021 – 2024 specified in Article 9(1) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 ("the Law") and specifically –

1. to approve the estimate of total States income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in 2021 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 1 to the Report, which is inclusive of the proposed taxation and impôts duties changes outlined in the Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(a) of the Law;
2. to approve the amounts to be transferred from one States fund to another for 2021, in line with Article 9(2)(b) as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 2 to the Report;
3. to approve the proposed borrowing to be obtained for 2021, in line with Article 9 (2)(c), up to and including the amount set out in Appendix 2

– Summary Table 3 to the Report;

4. to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2021 and the total cost of each such project and any amendments to the proposed total cost of a major project under a previously approved government plan, in line with Article 9(2)(d), (e) and (f) of the Law and as set out in Appendix 2 - Summary Table 4 to the Report;
5. to endorse the efficiencies and other re-balancing measures for 2021 contained in the Government Plan as set out in Appendix 2 Summary

Table  6  and  reflected  within  each  gross  head  of  expenditure  in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 5(i);

6. to  approve  the  proposed  amount  to  be  appropriated  from  the Consolidated Fund for 2021, for each head of expenditure, being gross expenditure less estimated income (if any), in line with Articles 9(2)(g), 10(1) and 10(2) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report;
7. to approve the estimated income, being estimated gross income less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2021 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report;
8. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's trading fund for 2021 for each head of expenditure in line with Article 9(2)(i) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 8 to the Report;
9. to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2021as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 9 to the Report; and
10. to approve, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the Law, the Government Plan 2021-2024, as set out at Appendix 3 to the Report except that, onpage 60 after the words "when approved by the States Assembly" thereshould be inserted the following words –

"We commit to funding a Poverty Commission to carry out research into measuring poverty levels in Jersey or, in the alternative,  funding  to  instruct  an  independent  body  for example  the  Social  Metrics  Commission  to  carry  out  the research on behalf of the Government of Jersey with a view to developing a Poverty Policy.  This  will be included in the Government Plan for 2022"

REPORT

I bring this amendment for many reasons. But timing, as they say, is everything.

This amendment is however for me well timed to request the Government to establish a Social Metrics Commission. This is following the highly successful same process in the United Kingdom in setting up an independent group of experts to improve the way we understand and measure poverty in Jersey.

This body of work will then be used by government departments and others to develop new statistics and policy to support islanders in the long-term future.

Without effective measures of poverty, we cannot hope to reduce the number of people who experience it or improve the lives of everyone on the island.

This has to include relative poverty also.

Relative poverty is calculated by taking the median income - that's the income where half of all households earn more, and half earn less - and then looking at how many children live in households earning less than 60% of this.

In the UK, there is no single measurement for hunger. This seems the same here.

The Children's Commissioner has her office publish her report and concerns with a detailed publication but as the Commissioner herself has stated and I quote:

"Take the Government plan, if you search for the word poverty, you won't find it because they are shying away from it,"

"It's the unsaid. Nobody here talks about poverty, it's hidden, it's not in your face, but it's there. We cannot see it but that does not mean that the government should not talk about it.

"We do not have a measure of poverty here, but we know 3,500 pupils are on the Jersey Premium and we also know that not all families claim it."

The full impact and excellence of the UK commission work and its use and also some full fact-finding statistics for members.

https://fullfact.org/economy/poverty-uk-guide-facts-and-figures/ The UK Government official response to their report:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-poverty-statistics-developed-to-help- government-target-support

The Social Metrics Commission website and their latest report on the impact of Covid: https://socialmetricscommission.org.uk/poverty-and-covid-2/

With the impact that the pandemic has had and will have next year combined with the unknown impacts of Brexit, not to mention the high cost of living etc, we must now

make this small commitment that could help us make big changes for the lives of many here on Jersey. I urge members to fully support this proposal today.

Financial and manpower implications

For the Minister to base the funding and potential costs of the aim of this proposition on similar independent external reports or commissions, the possible estimated costs would be £150,000 per annum. In addition, there will be any work that the Government undertakes for the future Government Plan as well.

Re-issue Note

The most up-to-date statement of financial and manpower implications had not been included when the amendment was first published.