A MINISTERIAL group established to oversee the delivery of policy proposals aimed at helping Islanders cope with the cost of living – and gather feedback on them – has started meeting, a Scrutiny panel has heard.
Assistant Social Security Minister Phil Romeril provided the update during a hearing of the Health and Social Security Panel this week.
Questions were raised over how the performance of proposed Budget measures aimed at reducing cost of living pressures – including a decision to double the parental grant to £1,800 for families with newborns or adopting a child – would be assessed.
During the hearing, Deputy Romeril noted the establishment of the Affordability Ministerial Group, which was implemented by a ministerial decision signed by Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham last month.
The accompanying terms of reference state that it will “develop policy proposals that support increased affordability”.
This will include work to “monitor trends in affordability, inflation, household incomes, and other economic indicators affecting households; and review evidence on the causes and impacts of affordability pressures, including the effects on specific groups within the community”.
Deputy Romeril said it was “beginning to run now”.
“One of the advantages of that is that brings together not only the ministerial team and supporting officials, but actually members of the public through varying bodies,” he continued.
“It’s going to create a really useful feedback system on the impact of some of the schemes that have been put in place through [2027].”
The assistant minister added that the group would provide “a direct feed line into government and our department” that would help ensure “appropriate” measures were in place.
