Gov Budget & Spending Plans Agreed

Friday, 15 December 2023 07:26

The States Assembly has approved the government's plans for taking and spending taxpayers' money for the next three years.

After a four day sitting, politicians voted 33-13 in favour of the measures.

Only a couple of challenges succeeded, as ministers accepted more than a dozen other amendments in some form.

Decisions taken this week include raising alcohol duty by 4.5% in January, freezing fuel duty for 2024 and extending free GP visits to all full-time students.

Tax thresholds - the amount a person can earn before they are liable to pay income tax - will rise by almost £1500 for a single person, to £20,000, and to £40,000 for a working couple.

The child allowance will rise by £250 and there will be higher tax reliefs to help with childcare costs.

The Government Plan 2024-2027 sets out income and spending for the next three years.

It includes increasing funding in healthcare services to £287m in 2024 and £52m for the New Healthcare Facilities Programme, to progress plans for a multi-site hospital.

£113m will be put into infrastructure and the public estate - including £46m in schools, £30m in dealing with liquid waste and £20m in IT.

Politicians rejected calls for an extra £2m to be diverted from the Cabinet Office to Education to settle the teachers' pay dispute.

They also threw out attempts by Reform Deputy Rob Ward to extended subsidised bus passes to under 21s, and to offer £1m worth of cut-price annual passes to other islanders.

The Reform party's 10 members voted against the Government Plan, along with Deputies Lyndon Farnham, Mary Le Hegarat and Max Andrews.

The States has now adjourned until 16 January.