Proposed Budget (Government Plan) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): eleventh amendment (P.70/2025 Amd.(11)) – second amendment
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STATES OF JERSEY
PROPOSED BUDGET (GOVERNMENT PLAN) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): ELEVENTH AMENDMENT (P.70/2025 AMD.(11)) – SECOND AMENDMENT
Lodged au Greffe on 11th December 2025 by the Council of Ministers
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.70 Amd.(11) Amd.(2)
PROPOSED BUDGET (GOVERNMENT PLAN) 2026-2029 (P.70/2025): ELEVENTH AMENDMENT (P.70/2025 AMD.(11)) – SECOND AMENDMENT
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1 PART 1
For the words "in other areas to be addressed" substitute "the States grant will revert to its formula value from 2030 onwards".
Delete "Given the apparently strong financial position of the Social Security Fund which has led the government to propose a reduction in the States grant,".
After the words "further commits to" insert "providing options".
Delete the words "resolving overpayments of social security contributions"
After the words "full contribution record" insert "prior to reaching pensionable age".
Delete the word "funding".
After the word "proposals" insert "by the end of 2026" Delete "within the next Proposed Budget 2027-2030".
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Note: After this amendment, the amendment would read as follows –
1 PAGE 3, PARAGRAPH (b)(xii) –
After the words "in the Appendix to the accompanying report" insert the words –
", except that on page 90 after the words "the States grant will revert to its formula value from 2030 onwards." there should be inserted the words –
"The Minister for Social Security further commits to providing options for those who have achieved a full contribution record prior to reaching pensionable age to ensure a fair deal for the individuals affected and will bring forward proposals by the end of 2026.""
Note: After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
- In accordance with Article 16 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 (the Law) to approve an amendment to the Government Plan 2025 – 2028 (entitled
"Budget 2025 – 2028") to a reduction in the 2025 head of expenditure "Grants to States Funds" as included in Table 5(i) Revenue Heads of Expenditure of that Government Plan from £119,821,000 to £69,821,000.
- (b) To receive the Government Plan 2026 – 2029 (entitled "Budget 2026- 2029") specified in Article 9(1) of the Law and specifically –
- to approve the estimate of total States income to be paid into the Consolidated Fund in 2026 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 1 to the Report, which is inclusive of the proposed taxation and impôts duties changes outlined in the Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(a) of the Law.
- to refer to their Act dated 24th June 2003 in which they approved that no new user pays' charges be introduced without any such charge receiving prior in principle approval by the States Assembly and accordingly to approve the introduction of two new charges, to be levied by Health and Care Jersey to promote appropriate use of the Emergency Department and for repeated non-attendance of outpatient appointments, detailed in the section entitled "Departmental Income Sources" as set out in the Appendix to the accompanying Report.
- to approve the proposed Changes to Approval for financing/borrowing for 2026, as shown in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 2 to the Report, which may be obtained by the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as and when required, in line with Article 9 (2)(c) of the Law, of up to those revised approval amounts.
- to approve the transfers from one States fund to another for 2026 of up to and including the amounts set in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 3 in line with Article 9(2)(b) of the Law.
- to approve a transfer from the Consolidated Fund to the Stabilisation Fund in 2026 of up to £50 million, subject to a decision of the Minister for Treasury and Resources based on the availability of funds in the Consolidated Fund as at 31st December 2025 in excess of the estimates provided in this plan, or from budgeted underspends identified before 31st December 2026.
- to approve a transfer from the Consolidated Fund to the Agricultural Loans Fund in 2026 of up to £5 million, subject to a decision of the Minister for Treasury and Resources based on availability of funds in the Consolidated Fund as at 31st December 2025 in excess of estimates provided in this plan, or from budgeted underspends identified before 31st December 2026;
- to approve each major project that is to be started or continued in 2026 and the total cost of each such project and any amendments to the proposed total cost of a major project under a previously approved Government Plan, in line with Article 9(2)(d), (e) and (f) of the Law and as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 4 to the Report.
viii. to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from the
Consolidated Fund for 2026, for each head of expenditure, being gross expenditure less estimated income (if any), in line with Articles 9(2)(g), 10(1) and 10(2) of the Law, and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Tables 5(i) and (ii) of the Report.
- to approve the estimated income, being estimated gross income less expenditure, that each States trading operation will pay into its trading fund in 2026 in line with Article 9(2)(h) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 6 to the Report.
- to approve the proposed amount to be appropriated from each States trading operation's trading fund for 2026 for each head of expenditure in line with Article 9(2)(i) of the Law and set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 7 to the Report.
- to approve the estimated income and expenditure proposals for the Climate Emergency Fund for 2026 as set out in Appendix 2 – Summary Table 8 to the Report.
- to approve, in accordance with Article 9(1) of the Law, the Government Plan 2026-2029, as set in the Appendix to the accompanying Report, except that on page 90 after the words "the States grant will revert to its formula value from 2030 onwards" there should be inserted the words –
"The Minister for Social Security further commits to providing options for those who have achieved a full contribution record prior to reaching pensionable age to ensure a fair deal for the individuals affected and will bring forward proposals by the end of 2026."
REPORT
Ministers understand and support the aims of Amendment 11 but cannot agree with the wording as proposed. The original amendment to the amendment moved the inserted text to a more appropriate position in this section of the Budget report and addressed a number of issues within the original wording.
This late amendment is lodged following constructive dialogue with the Scrutiny Panel and Ministers thank the Panel for their positive engagement on this subject.
The report attached to the previous amendment set out some technical issues with the wording as originally proposed by the Scrutiny Panel.
The wording that is now put forward successfully addresses the same points, with helpful input from the Scrutiny Panel as to exact phrasing of the amendment.
Members are asked to support this amendment to amendment 11, which will ensure that the incoming Minster for Social Security will bring forward proposals in this area by the end of 2026.
Financial and staffing implications
This amendment would have no further financial or staffing implications than already identified in the original amendment.
Children's Rights Impact Assessment
The Council of Ministers considers that this proposition (amendment) has no direct or indirect impact on children and that the duty to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child does not arise. Accordingly, a Children's Rights Impact Assessment is not required under the Children (Conventions Rights) (Jersey) Law 2022