THE island’s first Fiscal Policy Panel is expected to publish a preliminary report on the principles that will guide its work by the summer.

The panel, established by the Policy Council in February, consists of the same external members as the Jersey Fiscal Policy Panel and will perform the role of independent arbiter on the conduct of the Guernsey States’ fiscal policy.

In particular it is being asked to judge whether the States remains within the parameters for present and future spending and budget balance as set out in the fiscal framework agreed by the Assembly last April.

Panel members Joly Dixon, Marian Bell and Christopher Allsopp, all of whom are UK economists, have already been to the island once so far and met Guernsey industry figures, while States economist Dr Andy Sloan has also had meetings with them in London.

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