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Covid-19: Provision and Supply of PPE: Allocation of Reserve Funding

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While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 22 December 2021

Decision Reference: MD-TR-2021-0150

Decision Summary Title:

Allocation of Covid-19 Reserve Funding for the provision and supply of PPE

Date of Decision Summary:

15th December 2021

Decision Summary Author:

Specialist – Special Project Assurance

Decision Summary:

Public or Exempt?

Public

Type of Report:

Oral or Written?

Written

Person Giving

Oral Report:

n/a

Written Report

Title:

Allocation of Covid-19 Reserve Funding for the provision and supply of PPE

Date of Written Report:

15th December 2021

Written Report Author:

Specialist – Special Project Assurance

Written Report:

Public or Exempt?

Public

Subject:

Allocation of funding from the General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consumed in 2021.  

Decision(s):

The Minister approved the allocation of up to £380,000 from the General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to the Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to fund the provision and supply of the PPE.

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 Contingency) once recommended for approval by the Treasurer of the States, 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.

 

This decision has been circulated to the Council of Ministers in accordance with the requirements of the policy.

 

The Investment Appraisal Team has reviewed the business case for funding the supply and provision of PPE and recommended it for approval.  Following this review, the Treasurer, taking into account comments from the PAO, recommends that the Minister allocates funding from the General Reserve.

 

The Treasurer of the States, under delegation from the Principal Accountable Officer, will appoint the Director General for Health and Community Services as the Accountable Officer for the allocation to the Covid-19 Head of Expenditure.

 

Resource Implications:

 

The Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to increase by £380,000 and the General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to decrease by an identical amount.

 

This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States Assembly in the Government Plan 2021-24.

 

Action required:

The Head of Financial Governance to advise the Specialist – Business Cases and the Head of Finance Business Partnering for HCS that this decision is approved.

Signature:

 

 

Position:  Deputy S J Pinel, Minister for Treasury and Resources

Date Signed:

 

Date of Decision:

 

Hide report
Covid-19: Provision and Supply of PPE: Allocation of Reserve Funding

Treasury and Exchequer

Ministerial Decision Report 

 

 

 

 

 

ALLOCATION of Reserve Funding for the provision and supply of Ppe

 

 

  1. Purpose of Report

To enable the Minister to approve an allocation of up to £380,000 from the General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to the Covid-19 Response head of expenditure to fund the provision and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

 

  1. Background

PPE has been essential to ensuring that critical frontline services could be provided safely during the pandemic. HCS and Commercial Services established a PPE cell to coordinate the provision of PPE across Government departments, wider healthcare settings including the care sector, and charities that are involved in the delivery of services to the public.

 

At the onset of the pandemic surging international demand for PPE led to significant supply shortages. In response, Ministers authorised the purchase of significant volumes of PPE to ensure that the Government had sufficient equipment in stock to meet the Island’s essential PPE requirements for 90-days.

 

Anticipating the potential for changes to policy around stock holdings and for PPE usage requirements to evolve, the Government Plan 2021-24 did not allocate additional funding for PPE usage, or for the write-down of stock that is now expired or not fit for purpose and cannot be used or sold on.

 

It was expected that the HCS should first seek to make use of existing resources and to make an application to the Covid-19 Reserve once it became clear that costs in relation to PPE usage could not be absorbed within existing budgets. Accordingly, it is now forecast that expenditure on PPE will require an additional budget allocation in 2021.

  1. Recommendation

The Minister is recommended to approve an allocation of up to £380,000 from General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to the Covid-19 Response head of expenditure to fund the provision and supply of the PPE.


 

 

  1. 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 recommended for approval by the Treasurer of the States, 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.

 

This decision has been circulated to the Council of Ministers in accordance with the requirements of the policy.

 

The Investment Appraisal Team has reviewed the business case for funding the supply and provision of PPE and recommended it for approval.  Following this review, the Treasurer, taking into account comments from the PAO, recommends that the Minister allocates funding from the General Reserve.

 

The Treasurer of the States, under delegation from the Principal Accountable Officer, will appoint the Director General for Health and Community Services as the Accountable Officer for the allocation to the Covid-19 Head of Expenditure.

  1. Resource Implications

The Covid-19 Response Head of Expenditure to increase by £380,000 and the General Reserve (Covid-19 Contingency) to decrease by an identical amount.

 

This decision does not change the total amount of expenditure approved by the States Assembly in the Government Plan 2021-24.

 

 

Report author: Specialist – Special Project Assurance

Document date: 15th December 2021

Quality Assurance / Review:

Group Director, Strategic Finance and the Head of Financial Governance

File name and path:    L:\Treasury\Sections\Corporate Finance\Ministerial Decisions\DS, WR and SD\2021-0150 - Reserve funding to HCS for PPE

MD sponsor: Treasurer of the States

 

 

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