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WQ.209/2025
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR TREASURY AND RESOURCES
BY DEPUTY K.M. WILSON OF ST. CLEMENT
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 12th MAY 2025
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 19th MAY 2025
Question
"In relation to the allocation of resources in the next budget and, given the continued focus on fiscal restraint, will the Minister advise –
- what evidence and information in support of a requested allocation, if any, she will be seeking from Ministerial departments prior to an allocation;
- whether greater detail will be required this year, in comparison to previous years, and if not, why not; and
- whether this evidence and information will be presented to the Assembly prior to the Budget debate?"
Answer
Ministerial departments are responsible for the allocation and effective management of resources within budget limits to meet delivery of objectives and provide vital public services to Islanders.
The Budget 2025 set out additional funding to deliver the Common Strategic Policy (CSP) priorities and structural deficits in Health and Care Jersey over the remaining term of Government, with no additional funding allocations provided outside of those priorities. Since funding has been provided to meet these priorities, it's not expected that additional allocations for growth' funding will be made in the forthcoming Budget. However:
- Where a Ministerial department requests additional growth' budget allocations, the requesting department will need to complete a business case, including options analysis and justification of the requested allocation. The same process will be followed as required in previous Budgets.
- The business case process adopted by the Government of Jersey is based on the HM Treasury 5 case model, requiring an assessment to be provided of the strategic, financial, commercial, management and economic cases for investment. There are no planned changes to this process.
- Where additional growth' funding is allocated in the Budget, copies of the business cases will be provided to scrutiny ahead of the budget debate.
In both Government Plan 2024 and Budget 2025, additional allocations were provided to Health and Care Jersey (HCJ). Funding was provided to sustain current health services (rather than to fund new service provisions), as such these allocations did not follow the business case process and template. Supporting information was provided including financial analysis completed by the health turnaround team and Financial Recovery Programme. Should HCJ request further deficit funding in the next Budget, this must be fully supported by information on the cost drivers of any additional deficit, what action the department has taken to manage within budgets, and analysis of the options available if no additional funding were provided. Detail will be provided to scrutiny to inform the debate.