Executive Council Meeting for January 2004

GOVERNOR’S REPORT ON THE MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THURSDAY 29 JANUARY 2004 

 

Executive Council met on Thursday 29 January.  As usual, we had a wide ranging agenda. 

 

ExCo considered whether work should proceed on a new Living Allowance to replace a variety of existing schemes of financial assistance (including welfare grants, unemployment assistance, housing benefit, winter fuel allowance and special funds support).  ExCo concluded that it would be premature to replace this range of schemes with a single Living Allowance.  Further steps to reform social systems policy should wait until the impact of the recent tax changes, particularly on the low paid, could be properly assessed.  ExCo will review the issues again in a year or so’s time.

 

ExCo approved a revised version of the Taxes (Benefits in Kind) Rules 2003, to take account of certain changes to the table setting out the annual value of various board and accommodation benefits.  The rules are likely to be submitted to Legislative Council in February, and will take effect retrospectively from 1 January this year.  ExCo also approved four further extra statutory concessions in connection with the operation of Taxation Policy.  Listeners may recall that these are relaxations in practice which give taxpayers a reduction in tax liability to which they would not be entitled under the strict letter of the law.  The four new concessions concern the use of company vehicles; clubs, societies and associations; entertainment expenses; and gratuities. These new concessions follow five concessions which were agreed by ExCo in December.  ExCo also approved an amendment to the extra statutory concession concerning pension income allocation for married couples. They will be published in the Gazette in due course.

 

While on the subject of money, I should report that ExCo approved a revised schedule of fees for services provided by the Department of Agriculture, to take effect from 1 February 2004.  This follows the approval by ExCo in November 2002 of a recommendation by the Director of Agriculture that fees levied by the Department should be reviewed annually.  ExCo also agreed that fees for services provided to the Fishing Industry should be considered, with a view to implementation in 2005.

 

On a lighter, and sporting, note, ExCo agreed that financial assistance should be provided to the Falkland Islands Cricket Association in connection with their forthcoming visit to Chile to play a series of international matches.  The assistance will take the form of up to 50% of flight costs for the Falkland Islands participants, amounting to some £3,200.

 

ExCo considered the operation of the Occupational Health Service.  Members expressed their satisfaction with the Service, and recommended that it should continue to be funded in the 2004/5 financial year. 

 

ExCo also considered certain minor changes to the Camp road construction programme.  They noted that, following the completion by Mr Michael McKay of the work assigned to him ahead of time and below budget, the Goose Green Bypass could now be included in this season’s work.  ExCo extended their thanks and congratulations to Mr McKay for his achievement.  Also on the subject of transportation, ExCo noted that the North Camp Transportation Scheme, designed to provide transport for children in North Camp to school in Stanley, had been discontinued because of changes in the circumstances of the families concerned.

 

ExCo approved the extraction of Calcified Seaweed deposits for use as an agricultural liming agent at Ruggles Bay in East Falkland, subject to certain conditions. 

 

ExCo considered future arrangements for the provision of housing plots in Stanley.  After some discussion, members agreed to the following three points:

 

-          to discontinue direct subsidy for FIG housing plots once plots in Phase 7 of the East Stanley development had been allocated;

-          a new “means tested” FIG financial package should be developed, to take the form of a conditional grant for both public and private sector plot purchase, with increasing emphasis on first time buyers only;

-          to support continued discussion with the private sector, with a view to developing partnerships for future housing provision in place of FIG providing serviced plots.

 

ExCo considered whether to ask the UK Government to include the Falkland Islands in its ratification of the AARHUS Convention.  The Convention concerns access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice on environmental matters.  Members concluded that the Falkland Islands should not be included in the UK’s initial ratification of the Convention.  Members wished first to seek further clarification of the legislative changes which would be required and of the necessary changes in environmental information gathering and reporting, with a view to considering the possibility of ratification for the Falkland Islands at a later stage.

 

ExCo continued its work on the reform of Falklands Fisheries legislation.  Members gave brief consideration to the first draft of the new Fisheries (Conservation and Management) Bill.  They congratulated the Attorney General on the work he had undertaken in the production of this very substantial piece of legislation.  It was agreed that the draft should now be passed for detailed discussion to the Fisheries Working Group and the Fisheries Policy Advisory Committee.

 

ExCo considered and approved an amended version of the Falkland Islands driving licence, and agreed that more work should be undertaken on making the licence look more like an official document.

 

ExCo approved a draft amendment to the Immigration Ordinance, which would have the effect of defining more closely the rules governing the issue of Work Permits, and agreed to remit this to Legislative Council. 

 

ExCo considered a paper on policy for the provision of Human In Vitro Fertilisation by the Falkland Islands Health Service.  Members approved the paper, which recommends changes in the criteria for eligibility and in particular the introduction of an age limit of 39.  Members also approved certain transitional arrangement for the introduction of the new criteria.

 

ExCo considered the arrangements for certification of ships as free from rat infestation.  They concluded that this task should no longer be carried out by the Doctors.  It was agreed that the service should in future be provided either by the private sector or by another Government Department.  Further consideration would be given to this.

 

Finally, ExCo approved the Conservation of Wildlife and Nature (Amendment) Bill, which would, once approved by Legislative Council, make it possible for the Falkland Islands to be included in ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels.