Jersey Government Plan: Fuel and alcohol prices to rise

Fuel prices are set to increase by 6p per litre

The cost of fuel and alcohol will rise in Jersey following decisions made in the States Assembly.

Petrol and diesel will cost an extra 6p per litre for drivers from January 2020, whilst the price of beer and wine will increase by 12%.

The money raised is due to go into a climate emergency fund which will aim to make the island carbon neutral by 2030.

Members rejected an attempt to restrict the fuel duty to 4p per litre.

Politicians have been debating the government plan for 2020-2023 over the course of five days.

Contributions made by tax-paying islanders to the long-term care fund, which supports adults likely to require substantial care, is set to increase by 0.5%.

Other amendments approved by the States include:

• Grant of £20,000 for the island's four cadet forces

• Pilot scheme aimed at engaging young islanders from communities with English as a second language

• An investment of £125,000 for gym equipment at sport centres including Fort Regent and Les Quennevais

Politicians voted against a proposal to help support breastfeeding mothers

Maternity services were denied a £91,000 boost which would have paid for a midwife to help breastfeeding mothers and two part-time peer supporters.

Deputy Louise Doublet, the politician behind the rejected proposal, said: "It is not the mother that is failing if there are breastfeeding problems, it is the support system that is failing".

A proposal by Deputy Geoff Southern to lower GP fees to £10 per visit for vulnerable islanders - including the over-65s, children under five, pregnant women and islanders on income support - was rejected by 25 to 19 votes.

The rejection formed part of ministers' plea to wait for proposed updates to the island's health system.