Reserve Funding Allocation: Covid-19: Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

[THIS DECISION RESCINDS MD-TR-2021-0030 & MD-TR-2021-0006] A decision made on 16 April 2021

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2021-0045
Decision Summary Title:	Reserve Funding for Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity		Date of Decision Summary:	14th April 2021
Decision Summary Author:	Head of Investment Appraisal		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title:	Reserve Funding for Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity		Date of Written Report:	14th April 2021
Written Report Author:	Head of Investment Appraisal		Written Report: Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Allocation of Reserve funding to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure for Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity, and rescindment of previous allocations made for the same purposes in MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006 respectively.
Decision(s): The Minister decided to approve the following allocations to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure from the General Reserve (Covid): - Up to £955,000 to enable investment in children’s mental health and wellbeing - Up to £241,500 to enable essential air connectivity to be maintained The Minister also decided to rescind MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006.
Reason(s) for Decision: Article 15(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the approval by the States of a Government Plan authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of expenditure in the plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the plan. The current Policy for Allocations from the Reserve, presented to the States Assembly as R.60/2021, sets the requirement for all allocations from the General Reserve (Covid-19) once approved by the States Treasurer to be referred for review to either the Council of Ministers or the relevant Competent Authorities Ministers and to seek comments from the Principal Accountable Officer (PAO) prior to submission to the Minister for approval. The requirements for the Policy for Allocations from the Reserve were satisfied prior to the approval of MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006. Those decisions allocated funding from the General Reserve (Covid) directly to the departments who will be spending the allocation. In order to collect all Covid-related costs in one place this decision rescinds those previous allocations and places the funding within the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure. The Treasurer of the States, under delegation from the Principal Accountable Officer, will appoint the Directors General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) and Financial Services and Digital Economy (FSDE) respectively as the Accountable Officers for the allocations.
Resource Implications: The Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to increase by a total of £1,196,500 being £955,000 for children’s mental health and wellbeing and the £241,500 for essential air connectivity. The General Reserve (Covid) to decrease by the same amount. The decision to rescind MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006 withdraws the previous increase to the CYPES Head of Expenditure by £955,000 and the increase to the FSDE Head of Expenditure by £241,500. These amounts will now be added to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure. The decision does not increase the total amount of funding agreed in the Government Plan 2021-24.
Action required: Head of Financial Governance to ensure this decision is published on www.gov.je and notify the Heads of Finance Business Partnering for CYPES and FSDE.
Signature:		Position: Deputy S J Pinel, Minister for Treasury and Resources
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity: Reserve Funding

Treasury and Exchequer

Ministerial Decision Report

Reserve Funding for Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity

Purpose of Report

Allocation of Reserve funding to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure for Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing and Essential Air Connectivity, and to rescind previous allocations made for the same purposes in MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006 respectively.

Background

The Government Plan 2021-2024 provides £40 million as a Covid-19 Reserve within the General Reserve for Covid-19-related funding needs that cannot be met from existing heads of expenditure in 2021. The Government Plan also established the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure, which provides funding for a series of known Covid-19-related projects that were allocated funding through the Government Plan process.

The Minister allocated £955,000 to the CYPES Head of Expenditure in MD-TR-2021-0030 to enable investment in children’s mental health and wellbeing. The Minister also allocated £241,500 to the Economy Head of Expenditure to maintain essential air connectivity in MD-TR-2021-0006. Both Decisions are appended to this report.

To simplify reporting processes for all Covid-19 related expenditure in 2021 the decision has now been taken to consolidate all such expenditure on the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure. Accordingly, the appended decisions will be rescinded and a separate allocation will be made to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure for the same amount and purposes.

Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve the following allocations to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure:

- Up to £955,000 to enable investment in the children’s mental health and wellbeing

- Up to £241,500 to enable essential air connectivity to be maintained

The Minister is also recommended to rescind MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006.

Reason for Decision

Article 15(3) of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 states that the approval by the States of a Government Plan authorises the Minister to direct how an approved appropriation for a reserve head of expenditure in the plan may be spent (including on another head of expenditure) in the first financial year covered by the plan.

The current Policy for Allocations from the Reserve, presented to the States Assembly as R.60/2021, sets the requirement for all allocations from the General Reserve (Covid-19) once approved by the States Treasurer to be referred for review to either the Council of Ministers or the relevant Competent Authorities Ministers and to seek comments from the Principal Accountable Officer (PAO) prior to submission to the Minister for approval.

The requirements for the Policy for Allocations from the Reserve were satisfied prior to the approval of MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006. Those decisions allocated funding from the General Reserve (Covid) directly to the departments who will be spending the allocation. In order to collect all Covid-related costs in one place this decision rescinds those previous allocations and places the funding within the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure. The Treasurer of the States, under delegation from the Principal Accountable Officer, will appoint the Directors General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills (CYPES) and Financial Services and Digital Economy (FSDE) respectively as the Accountable Officers for the allocations.

Resource Implications

The Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to increase by a total of £1,196,500 being £955,000 for children’s mental health and wellbeing and the £241,500 for essential air connectivity. The General Reserve (Covid) to decrease by the same amount.

The decision to rescind MD-TR-2021-0030 and MD-TR-2021-0006 withdraws the previous increase to the CYPES Head of Expenditure by £955,000 and the increase to the FSDE Head of Expenditure by £241,500. These amounts will now be added to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure.

The decision does not increase the total amount of funding agreed in the Government Plan 2021-24.

Report author: Head of Investment Appraisal	Document date: 14th April 2021
Quality Assurance / Review : Head of Financial Governance	File name and path: WR - Reserve Funding for CAMHS and Essential Air Connectivity
MD sponsor : Treasurer of the States