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2019.01.15
4 Deputy D. Johnson of St. Mary of the Minister for Treasury and Resources
regarding the introduction of waste charges: [OQ.14/2019]
Following the Assembly's decision on 19th July 2017 to move the next item and to leave the debate on the proposition to introduce waste charges so as to allow for further consultation and with the debate to resume the following autumn, will the Minister advise what steps, if any, have since been taken to progress matters?
Deputy S.J. Pinel (The Minister for Treasury and Resources):
As Members will be aware, the Council of Ministers has made the protection of our environment one of our 5 strategic priorities. As Members know, the Minister for the Environment intends to undertake wide-ranging reviews to deliver on this ambition and I pledged my support for that in my first Budget speech. The development of any environmental taxation measures arising from broader reviews of environmental strategy and policy will be led by Treasury officials and will be proposed by me in future Budgets. Both the Minister for the Environment and I remain keen to explore the case for levying user-pays waste charges.
- The Deputy of St. Mary :
I thank the Minister for that. But is she aware that by letter of 19th October 2017 from the then Chief Minister to myself, as chairman of the Scrutiny Panel, the Chief Minister then advised that they wished to undertake additional consultation over the next 5 months? I quote: "The results of this consultation will be presented to the new Council of Ministers and Scrutiny Panel to be ready for a debate in the autumn of 2018, if directed to do so." Will the Minister please clarify whether that consultation did in fact take place or whether it is simply a question of the Council not having directed anything further?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
I was not aware of the letter of 19th October from the Scrutiny Panel. I think the discussion on waste charges got rather lost in the twilight of the last Assembly. There is no reason, however, to not bring it back and I expect it will take the Growth, Housing and Environment Department some time to complete its first phase of review work. If that leads to recommendations for user-pays commercial waste charges, I will then ask Treasury officials to consult on an appropriate scheme and develop a measure for the next Budget, for Budget 2021, depending on the time taken.
- The Deputy of St. Mary :
I thank the Minister for her confirmation that there is no reason to bring it back. I simply point out though that the delay has resulted in a shortfall in the M.T.F.P. (Medium Term Financial Plan), which has been given as a reason for not implementing certain financial operations. Could I ask the Minister to seek to introduce this as a matter of priority?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
Yes, the Deputy is quite right, there has been a shortfall due to the lack of the introduction of the waste charges, which has caused quite a considerable problem.