Funding for the Nightingale hospital (FOI)

Request

Was the £14.4million cost of the Nightingale Hospital paid for out of the Strategic Reserve (‘Rainy Day’) Fund?

If not, how was it funded and which department did the funding come from, ie was it funded from the health and social services budget?

If it wasn’t paid for out of the Strategic Reserve Fund, will the cost be repaid to the relevant department; ie if it was paid out of the health and social services budget, will an additional £14.4million be granted to that department to ensure there is no negative financial impact and no resultant impact on the services that the funding department offers?

Response

The Nightingale Hospital was not paid for from the Strategic Reserve Fund.

Funding was made available by the Minister for Treasury and Resources from funds made available to the General Reserve. Additional funding for the General Reserve was made available from States Assembly approval of P28/2020 and P31/2020.

The States Assembly approved additional powers in P.28/2020 (Lodged with the Greffe 20 March and 23 March 2020) for the Minister for Treasury and Resources to increase the resources available to address the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Please see the links below for details of this and the subsequent amendment: 

Draft Public Financers (Amendment of Law) (Jersey) Regulations 202-

Draft Public Finances (Amendment Of Law) (Jersey) Regulations 202- (P.28/2020) Amendment

P31 (lodged with the Greffe 25 March2020) proposed the removal of the obligation to pay any States Grant into the Social Security Fund during 2020 and 2021. A link to this can be found below:

Draft Social Security (Amendment of Law no.12) (Jersey) Regulations 202-

None of the costs for the Nightingale Hospital were paid from existing departmental budgets.