Funds to tackle hospital waiting lists and implement a breast screening programme were hallmarks of last year’s Budget but the Finance Minister’s balancing act on Monday has seen the amount being cut.
Tonio Fenech allocated €2.3 million to tackle hospital waiting lists next year, which is €1.7 million less than the sum allocated for 2010.
Similarly, the breast screening programme is €240,000 below this year’s allocation.
The cuts are part of Mr Fenech’s drive to reduce the deficit next year to below the three per cent threshold. However, a general overview shows that reductions were made selectively and, in most cases, rather than slashing budgets, Mr Fenech froze expenditure to 2010 levels.
The biggest cost saving from last year is the energy benefit, which will not be repeated in 2011 despite Mr Fenech’s comments earlier this month that water and electricity bills will probably be kept at the same level. This one-off benefit had cost the government €10 million.
The financial estimates published with the Budget also indicate that energy support measures to help low income families will drop to €4.2 million next year, a reduction of €2.8 million. Another cost saving results from the expenditure on immigrants, which will be €3.5 million less next year, possibly keeping in mind the fact that the number of arrivals has dropped radically.
Mr Fenech’s balancing act also includes new initiatives and increased budgets for some sectors. The long-awaited sexual health policy can finally start to see the light of day after the Finance Ministry allocated €200,000 and the country will also get a national cancer plan that will cost just under €1 million.
A training programme to help minimum wage earners improve their skills will come with an incentive of €25 per week for a total cost to public coffers of €200,000. Another new expenditure category is a support programme for fostering, which comes with a price tag of €400,000. Gozitan tourism operators, long clamouring for the destination to be marketed distinctly from Malta, had their prayers answered with Mr Fenech allocating €500,000 to promote Gozo.
These new expenditure categories are accompanied by increases in other areas, such as the strategy on obesity, which will see its budget go up by €70,000.
The pharmacy of your choice will next year cost €2.3 million, an increase of €800,000 and Church schools will see the government subsidy go up by €4.7 million. On the opposite end, Mr Fenech has withdrawn the €2.2 million funding to ensure accessibility to Valletta, an indication the government’s intention to start charging fees for the park and ride scheme may become a reality next year.