18/01/2017 Channel Islands News

Minister's exit Strang. Join me now on BBC Two.

Plans to borrow hundreds of millions of pounds for Jersey's

It is the biggest level of debt that has faced this

It is important that scrutiny and due process is followed

for governance purposes and we have seen very recently what happens

Good evening and welcome to the late news from BBC Channel Islands,

Also tonight: A stronger Britain in charge of it's own laws, but how

It's emerged the plan to borrow hundreds of millions of pounds

to pay for Jersey's new hospital could be illegal.

Ministers want to fund the project by borrowing up to four

But concerns raised in the States today have

It comes after some politicians argue they weren't given enough time

The question of where Jersey's new hospital should be has of course

But today, the big question and the subject of lengthy debate

The budget for the new hospital is ?466 million.

Rather than funding it entirely through the Strategic Reserve,

the so-called rainy-day fund, which currently stands

The plan is to help pay for it by borrowing up to ?400 million.

This would be the biggest debt ever taken on by the States.

But the plans haven't been reviewed by the scrutiny panel,

who say they weren't given enough time.

The item that we're debating is so important.

It is therefore incredibly important that scrutiny should have gone

through the process and looked at issues had a point of governance. We

have had a examples very recently of governments failing -- governance

failing. So it's important due

process is followed And we've seen very

recently what happens But the Treasury Minister says

time was of the essence. Interest rates are predicted to move

and every 0.1% increase could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds

over a 40 year period. Equally, I do support the scrutiny

process and it's regrettable that scrutiny weren't able to review

this before now. The budget has been capped at 406 is

its million pounds, but I could not change the future could? It has been

capped for a very good reason. There is scope for it to creep in the

project. It is possible for a number of reasons that the costs could

increase although I would not expected to do so for the simple

reason that we have already built in a significant contingency of ?90

billion. ?90 million. Never mind it budget or the lack of scrutiny,

there is a bigger problem. Under the law it may not be legal. They cannot

borrow more than they collect in tax.

They've already borrowed millions for social housing,

so 400-million more to pay for the hospital could

However, there's confusion over whether the Long Term Care Benefit

If it does, the the States taxation pot is bigger,

so it could borrow enough to fund the new hospital.

So the debate's on hold until tomorrow once the States

More certainty and confidence, that's how one Jersey

business is feeling following the British Prime

Theresa May has been answering questions today

following her announcement that the UK will leave

But there's still lots of negotiations on where

the Channel Islands sit within these plans, as Emma Chambers has

What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.

But it does mean more freedom to trade, or that's what the British

Its unclear if that freedom will also be carried

to the Channel Islands, who are also not in

This is a typical example of a product where we have

the bottle made in Italy and shipped from there.

The foil is in Germany and the label in the UK and the case

Tim imports lots of goods from the EU.

He's distilled yesterday's Brexit speech positively.

He still has concerns a new trade deal could cost them more.

We've already seen the uncertainty of Brexit in the first place.

Trade prices are in disarray and we have probably seen in the

markets that food ingredients have raised by about 5 or 10%.

As a while before that filters through.

While some things are slightly clearer, whether Channel

Islands set within these agreements have not been made.

Senator Ian Gorst, Jersey's Chief Minister.

The most important thing for us is that we maintain our existing

relationship with the UK and that's about the common travel area with

the UK, its about the customs union with the UK and they are the most

important things not only for individuals but right

And it will be the local businesses like Tim's who will be listening

closely to this to make sure all the imports in and out

of the Channel Islands will be made smoothly in the future.

A Jersey constable hopes that giving prisoners the chance to vote

in island elections will mean they're more likely to integrate

now prisoners who serve four years or less will be able

The move will bring Jersey in line with Guernsey and most other

European countries, except the UK where prisoners

Concerns over funding for a new benefits system have been

raised at a scrutiny hearing in Guernsey.

Members of the Employment and Social Security Committee also

faced questions on pension funds, family allowances and tax

Its president says they're committed to the principle of universal

benefits rather than means-testing, but admits there are doubts over how

We've only got a certain pot of money.

We are under pressure to deliver more with that

money, but actually we have got a declining pot of money.

So for us as a committee, that is always the

Meanwhile, an independent report's found that Jersey's social

security fund is healthy, with ?1.4 billion to meet the costs

However, the report also concluded these

assets will gradually be used up as the cost of pensions increases.

But it said action doesn't need to be taken until after

Should learner drivers in the Channel Islands have to spend

more time behind the wheel before taking their test?

It's something that's being considered in the UK.

And it's an idea that's got support locally too,

So driving in Guernsey is pretty different to the UK.

Although not without it's challenges.

But pass your test here and you can nip over and be on those bigger,

And wanting that to remain the case Guernsey tends to mimic the UK

when it comes to things like driving tests.

What is important is that although we pass

Channel Islands we drive everywhere in the UK.

Our test has to be rigid and comparable for other areas.

So if plans in the UK go ahead, to make learners spend a minimum

of up to 120 hours behind the wheel before taking their test.

This local instructor thinks there'd be merit in the idea.

You know, having a certain amount of hours to do before they do their

Some people pass their test very quickly and I think it leaves them

open to danger on the roads with not enough knowledge, just being taught

That is one thing, but being able to drive properly and

have the skills to react well is another thing.

In reality, if Guernsey does not want full behind

and the UK decides more practice is what learners need, then Guernsey

might have to consider going for it, too.

Here's David Braine with your weather.

Our fine but cold weather continues. There's been some lovely winter

sunshine today. A shot taken by Chris in Guernsey. Glorious blue

skies. Cold at night. Tomorrow is going to be another dry and sunny

day. More of a breeze and a cold wind to coming in from the Easter

wrap-up warm. A weather front straddling the weather here, but it

is that easterly winds and dry air coming from the continent. It is

going to be with us throughout the rest of this week and it keeps fine

with cold weather right the way through. A bit more in the way of

cloud coming through the channel on Friday, but overnight tonight like

we saw last night a lot of clear sky that very quickly turns very cold.

Temperatures not quite as cold as they could be because there is still

a bit of a breeze and easterly breeze that helps keep the

temperatures up quite a few places. They will get down to one or perhaps

below zero. A risk of frost tomorrow morning. Fine weather to enjoy when

the sun comes up that it is almost unbroken sunshine through the day.

Still cold at the strong wind from east or north-east just 6 degrees as

the top temperature. Unsubtle weather in the southern areas of

Spain and Portugal. Quite cold. Really cold and really low

temperatures across eastern parts of Europe. That has been beset up a

couple of days and that continues into Thursday, as well. This is the

forecast for the rest of this week. It is cold of a breeze still from

the east still a bit of cloud into Friday and into Saturday. The cloud

on Friday and through the morning and the afternoon is likely to

produce showers. Not many lows will reach the island. It will be cold.

Have a good night. That's your news this Wednesday

evening, BBC Radio Guernsey next few days, no great changes over

the next few days, more sunshine on the way.

Despite high-pressure sitting across the country so only slow changes in

the weather, we have had a variety of