Govt recurrent expenditure exceeds £584 million

The Bill provides for the Chief Minister to ask the Parliament to vote the sum of £584,244,000 under the Consolidated Fund for recurrent expenditure as detailed under Parts 1 and 2.

A further sum of £81,989,000 will be sought by the Chief Minister for investment in projects for our community under the Improvement and Development Fund to provide for capital expenditure as reflected in Part 3 of the Bill.

BIGGEST AREAS OF EXPENDITURE

Within the Consolidated Fund, the biggest areas of expenditure on which the Chief Minister will be asking the Parliament to spend taxpayers' money will be Health (£129m), Care in the Community (£41m)*, Utilities (£59m) and Education (£52m).

It should be noted that the funding required to cover the recurrent and capital expenditure of Public Undertakings as shown in Parts 4 and 5, is already provided through Parts 1 to 3 of this Bill. The funding comes in the form of contributions payable out of the corresponding Consolidated Fund Departmental Heads of expenditure in respect of recurrent expenditure and out of the Improvement and Development Fund in respect of capital expenditure.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: "I am very pleased that this Bill will seek further investment for capital projects for our community that will principally benefit working people. I am looking forward to the Budget Debate when I will be proposing more spending on our health services and on education as well as in infrastructure and particularly on our utilities. Leading a government that continues investing in our community and spending in areas that most benefits ordinary working people, our children, young people and the elderly is something that makes me very proud indeed."

* Care in the Community includes the Gibraltar Health Authority – Elderly Residential Services Section (£24m) and the Care Agency (£17m).

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