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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE BY DEPUTY R.G. LE HÉRISSIER OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st DECEMBER 2009
Question
"What was the budgetary source of the emergency sum of £800,000 recently allocated to the Jersey Heritage Trust?"
Answer
Following advice contained in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on Jersey Heritage Trust, the Education Sport and Culture Department has provided emergency financial assistance to Jersey Heritage, forecast to be in the region of £800,000 pounds.
A commitment has been given by the Minister for Treasury and Resources to work with me to clear the existing borrowing of the Jersey Heritage Trust and also to develop a longer term solution for the funding of the organisation. This commitment is recorded in the minutes of the Council of Ministers of the 29th September 2009.
As an interim measure it has been agreed that presently unspent funds within the department's overall budget allocation for 2009 could be used for this purpose.
Once the full extent of the emergency funding is known, the Treasury Minister has confirmed that the department will be reimbursed allowing it to deal with some of the ongoing financial pressures not recognised in the 2010 Business Plan. Work is already being undertaken by the department to address some of these pressures as part of the proposed Comprehensive Spending Review. It is my aim to bring forward proposals to be considered during the 2011 business planning process.
Due to the uncertainty over the department's overall budget for 2010 as a result of the Business Planning process it has not been possible to address the Higher Education funding issues in 2009 although this is now being progressed by the department.
As a result unspent monies have provided the opportunity to support the Jersey Heritage Trust beyond its normal level of funding in 2009.
A review into the funding of Higher Education has been instigated, not only in recognition of the potential increases in top-up fees which could be introduced by the United Kingdom government but also because of the erosion of financial support to students since 2001.This action is supported by the Council of Ministers.