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Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel - Proposed Government Plan 2024 – 2027 Review Written Submission – Jersey Consumer Council – 6th November 2022
Carl Walker , Chairman
Dear Deputy Mezec,
Thank you for the invitation to respond to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel's review of the Proposed Government Plan 2024-2027.
As you will appreciate, the Jersey Consumer Council's focus is primarily on the cost of living crisis, something which is still very much a live issue for Islanders. Understandably, as part of the work Council undertakes on behalf of the Government of Jersey and others to monitor and publish price data in Jersey, the cost of every day groceries and essentials continues to receive the majority of our attention. Therefore, the JCC does not have a strong opinion, at this time, on the cost of tobacco or alcoholic products.
However, we note, with some concern, that there is a proposal to increase the duty on fuel by almost 11%. The Jersey Consumer Council maintains that the high cost of fuel – and the associated duty and GST – impacts all Islanders and not only those who own vehicles. Therefore, any increase in fuel duty at this time will, inevitably and eventually, filter its way down to the cost of every day items on the supermarket shelves. This will only resolve itself once all delivery vehicles in the Island use electric vehicles.
Furthermore, with both electricity and water prices rising in the new year, and the situation between Russia and Ukraine still far from being resolved, we would question the timing of and proposed rises in the cost of fuel duty and perhaps suggest amending the Government Plan to include a delay to the increase in fuel duty until the second or third quarter of 2024 to give Islanders – and our Island economy – a chance to recover from increases to electricity and water, and for matters in the global economy to settle down further.