New items of expenditure and savings

2025.07.08

4.2   Deputy M.B. Andrews of St. Helier North of the Minister for Social Security regarding items of new expenditure and cost savings in her areas of responsibility (OQ. 159/2025):

Will the Minister detail any items of new expenditure that have been implemented since she became Minister, and any cost savings she has delivered within her areas of responsibility?

Deputy L.V. Feltham of St. Helier Central (The Minister for Social Security):

Since becoming Minister I have sought to maintain the value of existing benefits as well as implement new schemes to support and respond to the needs of Islanders and implement the decisions of this Assembly. These decisions are set within legislation and approved cash limits with press releases and official documents setting out the details. In particular, some actions have been in direct response to the Assembly decisions made in this Chamber. New areas of expenditure are: the provision of free leg wound dressings in the community, improved support for victims of domestic abuse, increased support for parents with newborn babies needing hospital care, as well as additional support for parents with very sick children of any age, and the registered employee support scheme. In terms of savings, the chief officer of the Employment, Social Security and Housing Department has fully delivered her cost savings as part of the approved Government Budget. In 2025 this is £678,000 of savings made up of staff savings, office savings and reductions in budgets allocated to previous growth areas. In 2024, the departmental savings were £258,000 as agreed in the Budget.

4.2.1   Deputy M.B. Andrews :

Does the Minister have a figure available for the new level of expenditure that she has delivered upon since she became the Minister?