States Minutes 9th December 2004

THE STATES assembled on Thursday, 9th December 2004, at 9.30 a.m. under the Presidency of the Deputy Bailiff , Michael Cameron St.  John Birt, Esquire.

All members were present with the exception of –

J o hn  Baudains Germain, Connétable of St.  Martin – défaut

J e remy Laurence Dorey, Deputy of St. Helier – ill

L y ndon John Farnham , Deputy of St. Saviour – out of the Island

R o y George Le Hérissier, Deputy of St. Saviour– out of the Island.

Prayers

Budget 2005

Amendments and Comments

THE STATES allowed the Treasurer of the States to be present in the Chamber during the consideration of the Budget.

THE STATES resumed consideration of the Budget 2005, and commenced consideration of the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Health and Social Services Committee and of an amendment of the Connétable of St. Helier, (P.223/2004 – Budget 2005: ninth amendment), that on page 37 of the Budget, in the estimates of revenue expenditure of the Health and Social Services Committee, the estimate for Grants and Subsidies' be increased by £79,000 from £7,359,700 to £7,438,700 in order to increase the amount of grant to Family Nursing and Home Care (Jersey) Inc. by reducing the estimate for Administration Costs from £4,166,400 to £4,087,400.

THE STATES, following discussion, granted leave to the Connétable of St.  Helier to withdraw the amendment.

THE STATES, having further considered the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Health and Social Services Committee, decided to allow the said estimates as detailed in the undermentioned pages of the Budget as follows –

H e alth and Social Services Committee – pages 34 to 38

THE STATES, having considered the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the following Committees, decided to allow the said estimates as detailed in the undermentioned pages of the Budget as follows –

O v erseas Aid – page 58

E d ucation, Sport and Culture Committee – pages 39 to 44 H o me Affairs Committee – pages 45 to 50

Deputy Jennifer-Anne Bridge of St.  Helier declared an interest and withdrew from the Chamber prior to the consideration of the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Overseas Aid Committee.

THE STATES commenced consideration of the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Employment and Social Security Committee and rejected an amendment of Senator Michael Edward Vibert that on page 52 o the Budget the estimate of revenue expenditure of the Employment and Social Security Committee be increased from £82,727,100 to £83,248,100 by adding £521,000 to enable the provision of free television licences for those aged 75 and over living in domestic accommodation.

Members present voted as follows –

POUR: 20 CONTRE: 24 ABSTAIN: 1 Senator J.A. Le  Maistre Senator L. Norman Senator P.F.C. Ozouf

Senator S. Syvret Senator E.P.   Vibert

Senator F.H. Walker Connétable of St. Ouen

Senator W. Kinnard Connétable of St. Peter

Senator T.A. Le  Sueur Connétable of St, Helier

Senator P.V.F. Le  Claire Connétable of Trinity

Senator P.F. Routier Connétable of St. Lawrence

Senator M.E.   Vibert Connétable of St. John

Connétable of St. Brelade Deputy of Trinity

Connétable of St. Mary Deputy J.J. Huet (H)

Connétable of St. Clement Deputy of St.  Martin

Deputy R.C. Duhamel (S) Deputy T.J. Le  Main (H)

Deputy A. Breckon (S) Deputy M.F. Dubras (L)

Deputy P.N. Troy (B) Deputy G.C.L. Baudains (C)

Deputy C.J. Scott   Warr en (S)   Deputy F.G. Voisin (L)

Deputy J.B. Fox (H) Deputy J-A. Bridge (H)

Deputy J.A. Martin (H) Deputy J.A. Bernstein (B)

Deputy G.P. Southern (H) Deputy S.C. Ferguson (B)

Deputy of Grouville Deputy of St.  Mary

Deputy J.A. Hilton (H) Deputy of St.  Ouen

Deputy P.J.D. Ryan (H)

Deputy M.A. Taylor (C)

Deputy of St.  Peter

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye (H)

Senator Richard Joseph Shenton declared an interest and withdrew from the Chamber prior to the consideration of the amendment of Senator Michael Edward   Vibert concerning the estimates of income and expenditure of the Employment and Social Security Committee.

THE STATES granted leave to Deputy Geoffrey Peter Southern of St.  Helier to withdraw his amendments, (P.208/2004 lodged "au Greffe" on 23rd November 2004), that on page  52 of the Budget the estimate of revenue expenditure of the Employment and Social Security Committee be increased from £87,727,100 to £88,327,100 by adding £600,000 to enable the expansion of the Child Care Allowance Scheme by lifting the restriction that applicants must be in work, and that on page  2 of the Budget the estimate of income from Indirect Taxation be increased in order to fund the provision of the expansion of the Child Care Allowance Scheme, by adding the following amount to the Impôts –

£ 6 0 0 ,0 00 to Impôts on tobacco, so that the income rises from £14,595,000 to £15,195,000.

THE STATES, having further considered the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Employment and Social Security Committee, decided to allow the said estimates as detailed in the undermentioned pages of the Budget as follows –

E m  ployment and Social Security Committee – pages 51 to 53

THE STATES, having considered the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the following Committee, decided to allow the said estimates as detailed in the undermentioned pages of the Budget as follows –

H o using Committee – pages 54 to 57

Change in Presidency

The Bailiff retired from the Chair during consideration of the estimates of revenue expenditure and income of the Housing Committee, and the meeting continued under the Presidency of Mr.  Michael Nelson de la Haye, Greffier of the States.

Adjournment

THE STATES then adjourned, having agreed that outstanding matters in the Budget and other items of public business should stand over until Friday 10th December 2004.

THE STATES rose at 6.05 p.m.

M.N. DE LA HAYE Greffier of the States.