Deputy aims to ‘clear up’ pay equality funds confusion
CALLS to axe the States’ pay equality agenda are set to come under scrutiny.
Yvonne Burford has published questions she plans to ask Policy & Resources during this week’s debate, with the aim of clearing up what she believes is some confusion.
Deputy John Dyke initially asked whether greater pay parity among States employees was essential when public money was scarce and highlighted the figure of up to £40m. per annum, which was one of the reasons given in the tax review green paper from P&R for the States needing to raise more money.
Deputy Burford said that it was her understanding the £40m. was not part of an identified £75m. funding gap in public revenues.
‘It is true that a figure of £35-£40m is mentioned at one point in the tax review, but this is merely as part of a summary of potential funding pressures identified in a previous report and, rightly in my view, it has not been taken forward into the calculation of the funding gap in public finances that needs addressing.’
By asking questions under the Assembly’s Rule 11, P&R president Peter Ferbrache is required to respond, and Deputy Burford is hoping he will provide clarity.
‘This will also provide an opportunity for all States members to ask supplementary questions and for the matter to be completely cleared up.
‘£40m. would be a very significant sum of money to add to the States wage bill and erroneously leading the community to think that the States is going to raise taxes for that purpose does nothing to help the relationship between our community and its government,’ she said.
‘There is clearly work to be done on ensuring the pay of all public sector groups reflects the jobs being undertaken but such adjustments need to be done in a gradual and cost-neutral way.’
The tax review green paper states that there is a 24% limit set on the amount of GDP that the States is allowed to collect.
It details how that limit was established by considering known and quantified long-term expenditure pressure.
One of those pressures listed in the green paper is ‘the cost of achieving greater pay parity in terms of conditions across different public sector staff groups’, estimated at £35m. to £40m. per annum.
