Proposed Government Plan 2022-2025 (P.90/2021): second amendment. (P.90/2021 Amd. (2)) – amendment. Covid Review

STATES OF JERSEY

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2022- 2025 (P.90/2021): SECOND AMENDMENT

(P.90/2021 AMD.(2)) – AMENDMENT

COVID REVIEW

Lodged au Greffe on 7th December 2021 by the Connétable of St. Brelade

Earliest date for debate: 14th December 2021

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.90 Amd.(2) Amd.

PROPOSED GOVERNMENT PLAN 2022-2025 (P.90/2021): SECOND

AMENDMENT (P.90/2021 AMD.(2)) – AMENDMENT

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PAGE 2, PART 1–

After the words "the Council of Ministers being requested" insert the words –

 ", in conjunction with the Privileges and Procedures Committee,"

CONNÉTABLE OF ST. BRELADE

Note:  After this amendment, the 2nd amendment would read as follows – 1  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (f) –

After the words "Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report" insert the words –

", except that in Summary Table 5(i), £500,000 should be transferred from the General Reserve Head of Expenditure to fund the undertaking of an independent review of the Island's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, deliverable by 30th April 2022, the Council of Ministers being requested, in conjunction with the Privileges and Procedures Committee, to take such steps as are necessary to initiate a review that will deliver an objective and independent analysis of the actions undertaken in response to the Covid-19 pandemic  and  provide  recommendations  and  guidelines  for  the management of any future pandemic or similarly disruptive event".

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 2022 – 2025 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 2022 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 Changes to Approval for financing/borrowing for 2022, as shown in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 3 to the Report, which may be obtained by the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as and when

required, in line with Article 9 (2)(c) of the Law, of up to those revised approvals;

3. to approve the transfers from one States fund to another for 2022 of up to and including the amounts set in Appendix 2 – Summary table 2 to the Report, noting that the transfer from the Consolidated Fund to the Technology Fund is subject to the Assembly's approval of a proposition to create such a Fund in 2022, in line with Article 9(2)(b) of the Law;
4. to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2022 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 2022 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 2022, 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, except that within Summary Table 5 (i), £500,000 should be transferred from the General Reserve Head of Expenditure to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to fund the undertaking of an independent review of the Island's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, deliverable by 30th April 2022, the Council of Ministers  being  requested,  in  conjunction  with  the  Privileges  and Procedures Committee, to take such steps as are necessary to initiate a review that will deliver an objective and independent analysis of the actions undertaken in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and provide recommendations and guidelines for the management of any future pandemic or similarly disruptive event;
7. to approve up to £480 million to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund for the Past Service Pension Liabilities Refinancing head of expenditure, subject to the availability of funding, which may include, in full or in part, use of the borrowing/financing referred in paragraph (b);
8. to approve the estimated income, being estimated gross income less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2022 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report;
9. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's trading fund for 2022 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;

10. to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2022 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 9 to the Report;
11. to approve an amendment to the policy of the Strategic Reserve Fund to enable that Fund to be used as a holding Fund for any or all monies related to the repayment of debt raised through external financing, with the monies used to offset the repayment of debt, as and when required; and
12. to approve, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the Law, the Government Plan 2022-2025, as set out at Appendix 3 to the Report.

REPORT

This amendment is necessary in order to request the involvement of the Privileges and Procedures Committee (P.P.C.) to ensure that the review into the Island's response to the Covid-19 pandemic is independent. If the review were to be set up solely by the Council of Ministers it would be possible for there to be the perception that it is not politically unbiased and impartial. It is vital that any analysis of the Government's pandemic response is conducted with objectivity, and therefore the request to involve P.P.C. will mean that non-executive members of the States of Jersey can bring a balance to the planning and the recruitment of the persons who will undertake the review.

Financial and manpower implications

The  adoption  of  this  amendment  would  mean  that  the  Privileges  and  Procedures Committee will be required to work with the Council of Ministers to set up an impartial review. There are no financial and manpower implications in addition to those stated in the original amendment, aside from the time of P.P.C. and supporting officers.