Government
Chamber of Commerce assisting with Scope of Government review of public services with a combined value of around ?164m.
Chief Minister backs merger of Manx Electricity Authority and Water and Sewerage Authority, noting that MEA debt continues to mount and warning against above-inflation tariff increases.
Government going ahead with the creation of a Public Services Commission to streamline negotiating machinery for Civil Service Commission and Whitley Council staff.
Reform of waste collection and disposal to improve efficiency and service standards.
Sustainability of the Government Unified Pensions Scheme to be revisited.
Economy
Island’s national income per head is in the world’s top ten, and for the first time our economy is the largest of the three Crown Dependencies. Current growth rate estimated at 3 to 4%.
Growing business connections with China and the Middle East. Chief Minister to lead trade delegation to China early next year.
International reputation transformed. David Cameron has now written to the Chief Minister looking forward to ‘continued positive engagement with the Isle of Man.’
Government to back creation of specialist IT training facility.
New engineering training programme due to double in capacity next year.
1,200 new jobs created in the past year. More people in employment than ever before, over 49,000.
Economic Development has made 52 offers of financial assistance totalling ?3.7m, 21 to new businesses.
Longer-term challenges
Ageing population. The 65+ population expected to grow by 75% in the next 20 years, compared to an overall population increase of 16%. Health care costs for the over 80s to double from ?25m to ?50m.
Current model for providing health care, social services and pensions ‘is not sustainable.’
Climate change. An Environment and Climate Change Bill will identify a plan to meet target of 80% reduction in emissions.
Tuesday 15th, October 2013 07:52pm.
