Chief Minister - ‘lost’ health charge must be put in context

Tuesday 11 October 2016

Chief Minister Ian Gorst has rounded on his critics who said his plans to introduce a health charge, which were voted out by States members a fortnight ago, is a sign of no confidence in his leadership.

The Chief Minister said the vast majority of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), his administration’s bid to save over £100m over the next three years from the States’ budget, was successful.

Of the £2bn which was proposed in the MTFP, only £15m - the health charge - was unratified by the States.  

States members last week voted not to endorse the health charge, but the Chief Minister says this was only a relatively small part of the MTFP. 

Speaking at yesterday’s States assembly, Chief Minister Gorst said the loss of the health charge vote means he will seek an alternative “sustainable mechanism,” but turned on his critics who criticised his administration. 

He said: “A total of £2bn worth of expenditure was approved at the last States sitting and that is money that this community needs, but members decided £15m worth of the proposals they wanted us to go and review and consider in more detail. 

“The States said they didn’t want such a charge. They would have preferred a simple increase in the basic rate of tax. All these issues are going to have to be considered before we come forward with a new proposal. The assembly has spoken, finely balanced as it was 23-23 with one abstention, and we will now work with members to ensure health has the funding it requires in the future to provide the services which our community needs and expects. 

“Ministers respect the decision of this assembly and we will work together, because the important thing is that health funding, for the period of this MTFP, is vitally needed. It is also important to have a long term, sustainable mechanism to ensure that the health department has the funding they require for services today and in the future.” 

Deputy Montford Tadier said: “Does the Chief Minister accept that in most other jurisdictions or parliaments, such a defeat of such a key plank of policy would have resulted in calls of no confidence?”