The Budget – Treasury Minister Susie Pinel’s first as minister – includes an overhaul of stamp duty, increases to alcohol and tobacco duty and £36 million worth of capital spending projects.
In delivering her Budget, Deputy Pinel said that she was following her ‘ABC model’ – that it is affordable, balanced and that common sense is applied to all measures.
However, she warned that future spending plans would be more difficult and that the Assembly would have to make ‘tough decisions’ on the Island’s tax system with the government facing a potential deficit of £30 to £40 million next year.
The Budget was approved by 43 votes to two with Deputies Geoff Southern and Montfort Tadier voting against it.
Impôt rises
Unleaded petrol/diesel: 2p per litre.
Pint of normal strength beer/cider: 3.5 per cent increase.
Bottle of table wine: 3.5 per cent increase – 5.3p per bottle.
Litre of spirits: 3.5 per cent increase – around 50.4p per litre.
Packet of 20 king-size cigarettes: 7.5 per cent increase – 59p per pack.
50grams of hand-rolling tobacco: 11.5 per cent increase.
