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21.04.20
8 Deputy S.M. Ahier of St. Helier of the Minister for Treasury and Resources
regarding funding of the Our Hospital Project (OQ.100/2021):
Will the Minister inform the Assembly when she intends to bring a proposition to the States in respect of the funding for the Our Hospital project?
Deputy S.J. Pinel of St. Clement (The Minister for Treasury and Resources):
As the Deputy would expect, I intend to bring a funding proposition to the States in respect of the Our Hospital project, alongside the proposition for the project to proceed. The Our Hospital Political Oversight Group has decided that it wishes to take that proposition later on this year; that is to lodge in July for debate in September.
- Deputy S.M. Ahier :
Members were told last year by the Assistant Chief Minister that the funding debate would be in March of this year, then the Treasurer informed us that the debate would be in June. Why has there been such a lengthy delay?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
I think it would take somebody from the Our Hospital project group to answer that. There have been delays, as there always are, with these situations through the area, the purchase of properties, the access, Scrutiny questions, so that has caused lots of delays. Of course until we have that debate on the final go to proceed we will not be able to lodge the business case for them
- Deputy I. Gardiner :
During the hospital debate in November, it has been indicated by the Government that each month of delay costs. We are looking now into 6-months' delay for lodging the proposition, what cost will it incur for the 6-months' delay?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
Again, that is probably a question for the Our Hospital project group. But the delays were estimated at being quite considerable and so with a lodging date of July, as the Deputy says, it is quite a long time to have held this up.
- Deputy K.F. Morel :
Given that the Minister has said there will be a lodging in July of the funding and the actual proposition regarding the hospital itself, will the Minister be able to ensure that all Ministers and relevant officers will be available throughout August for the questions and the appropriate scrutiny of those propositions?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
As the Deputy will know, it is very difficult to organise a huge amount of responses in August but because of the late lodging there will have to be back-up for Members' questions - of course there will - especially as the debate will be into September, so Members will have to have access to information in order to conduct the debate.
- Deputy K.F. Morel :
I imagine that Scrutiny will want a full scrutiny process of these propositions and so are likely to require hearings and so on. How will this be possible if Ministers and officers are not available during August?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
That, Deputy , will be a call for Scrutiny but I do understand, of course, that Ministers must make themselves available, especially when it is a considerable amount of borrowing. But on the point of view of the Our Hospital project, then, as I say, that is not my remit as such; mine is the funding of it.
- Deputy S.M. Ahier :
Minister, will the funding for the Our Hospital project be in place before the planning inquiry starts?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
The funding option will be brought at the same time as the project proposition in July.