Mr. Gordon Jeyes:

Deputy Troy asked about the cost of a stand still budget. Appendix 1 of the papers provided to the committee shows the main components of our budget. I do not believe much further saving can be achieved from paying allowances. Our administration support is extremely lean and we have noted how vital education welfare officers and social work, social care and family support staff are. Similarly, foster care is important and the number of children benefiting from foster care support increases each year. That is a given. Even a small reduction, therefore, will tend to fall on the other areas. Reducing private residential and private foster care will also be difficult because the trend is in the other direction.

We can turn that around, but not overnight. We are public servants and we will deliver the top priority and core services efficiently from the budget we are given. Clearly, if the budget is not in line with our current demands, there will be significant pressure on the grants and supports we can offer to outside agencies and on the work normally categorised as early intervention. This may or may not have consequences further down the line. I would argue that our main duty will be to keep safe those children who are at immediate risk. We will have a budget to continue to do that.