Report of the Select Committee on the 2003/04 Estimates.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members

• £1 Million For Continuing The Building Of Camp Roads Both On East And West Falklands. Following A Report By The Transport Advisory Committee, Executive Council Agreed That The Road Construction On West Falklands Should Be Accelerated. This Is To Be Achieved By Moving Plant From East To West At A Cost Of £40,000 And By Diverting Part Of The Pwd’s Direct Labour Resources From East To West, All Within The £1 Million Budget Provision.

• £125,000 To Continue The Programme Of Upgrading Camp Jetties And Ramps.

• £540,000 To Continue The Building Of Sheltered Housing Which Is Due To Be Started Shortly.

• £100,000 For Continuing The Backlog Of Maintenance Works On Public Buildings.

• £470,000 For The Repair And Rebuilding Of Stanley Roads And Services

• £250,000 For Community School Improvements

• £150,000 For Town Hall Modifications

• £100,000 To Improve Facilities At Figas

• £120,000 To Refurbish Reacecourse Road Flats

• £125,000 For Improvements In Waste Management And Disposal

1. It Is Considered That This Mix Of Major Capital Construction Schemes Together With The Other More Minor Works Will Keep The In-House Labour Teams Fully Occupied And Take Up Any Slack In The Private Sector Contracting Business.
2. As Well As Construction Schemes, The Capital Budget Includes The Following Major Investments:

• £240,000 For The Fifth And Final Instalment To Write-Off Zero Interest Agricultural Mortgages.

• £300,000 To Finance The Zero Interest Mortgage Loans Which Form Part Of The Joint Government/Standard Chartered Bank Housing Assistance Programme.

• £500,000 For A Second Loan To Peter Symonds College In Winchester In Respect Of An Advance Payment Of Fees. This Will Secure 69 Places For Falkland Islands Students Over A Maximum 7 Year Period At The Current Fee Level Of £7,245 Per Student.

• £340,000 For The Purchase Of Plant For Pwd And £100,000 For The Purchase Of Vehicles.

• £200,000 To Continue The Defence Of A Contractual Dispute, And

• £250,000 For The Purchase Of Medical Equipment

1. The Approved Budget Of £4.3 Million For Transfer Payments Includes The Following Allocations:

• £150,000 For Building A Further Two Houses At Mount Pleasant.

• £600,000 For The Holiday Credit Scheme.

• £517,000 Grant In Aid To Fidc In Order To Support Its Budget Of £1.6 Million.

• £276,000 To Support Other Agencies And Trusts.

• £365,000 For Family Allowances.

• £1.4 Million For Direct And Indirect Support To The Camp Community In The Form Of Assistance With Retirement Pension Contributions, Energy Grants, Coastal Shipping Services, Agricultural Incentive And Labour Schemes, Grassland And Fencing Improvements.

• £250,000 For A Capital Subsidy For The Abattoir To Enable The Cold Store And Incinerator To Be Upgraded.

• £350,000 For An Operating Subsidy For The Abattoir.

The Committee Recognised That These Last Two Subsidies Were Essential In The Early Stages Of The Development Of A Viable Meat Industry For The Islands.

All This Money Is To Be Distributed To Help The Economy Develop And Grow.

1. Turning Now To The Revenue Proposals Made In My Presentation, The Select Committee Approved The Following:

• An Increase In Customs Import Duty On Alcoholic Beverages And Tobacco Products. A Motion Is On The Order Paper To Confirm This.

• An Increase In Vehicle Licence Fees, Harbour Dues And Customs Services Fees As Provided Under The Finance Bill.

• An Increase In House Rents And In The Charge For Funerals.

1. The Select Committee Agreed That There Should Be No Change At Present To The Following Revenue Charges:

Income And Corporation Tax Rates And Allowances,

Embarkation Tax,

Passenger Tax,

Water Charges,

Electricity Tariff, And

Postal Rates.

2. The Proposed Increases In Retirement Pension Benefits And Contributions, Ex Gratia Pensions And The Christmas Bonus Were All Approved. The Proposed Reduction In The Earnings Limit For The Assistance Scheme For Camp Contributions Was Also Approved.
3. The Committee Approved The Proposed Increases In Welfare Allowances.
4. The Committee Agreed That Public Service Pensions Payable Under The Old Final Salary Schemes Should Remain At Current Levels.
5. The Committee Also Agreed That The Following Benefits Should Continue At Current Rates:

Fostering Allowance

Child Allowance And

Winter Fuel Allowance

6. I Trust We Are All Pleased With The Outcome Of The Budget Process This Year As A Healthy Surplus Has Been Forecast. The Estimates, Once Approved, And In Support Of The Islands Plan, Form A Series Of Promises, In Financial Terms, To The General Public. The Job Of The Public Service Is To Deliver Those Promises And Obtain Best Value For Money For The Benefit Of All Residents. As Usual, Honourable Members Will Be Able To Monitor Progress Through The Monthly Meetings Of Standing Finance Committee.
7. A Paper Summarising The Adjustments Made To The Draft Estimates At Select Committee Was Presented To Executive Council Earlier This Afternoon. I Can Now Report That The Executive Council Recommends To Legislative Council The Amendments To The Appropriation Bill Necessary To Accommodate Those Adjustments.
8. I Would Like To Thank All Officers And Honourable Members Who Took Part In The Budget Process. In Particular I Thank My Pa Helga For Keeping My Papers In Order And For Her Secretarial Support, And Once Again To My Deputy Keith For All His Support And Hard Work.
9. This Concludes My Report Of The Proceedings Of The Select Committee On The Estimates.