More money will be put into the cash-strapped Department of Health and Social Care.

As part of an overall £13.8 million to be added into public services, an extra £5.5m will be ploughed into the DHSC.

But there were claims that the government was still effectively cutting the department’s budget.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan said he accepted £5.5m may not seem enough but said the government has given the DHSC a combined £16.5m of additional revenue funding in the last two years together with £20.6m of supplementary votes.

He said: ’It is vitally important we achieve a balance between providing the funding that is required, but also to ensure there is the motivation to utilise these funds in the most efficient way.

’So, £37.1m of additional funds - 18.5% of their net £200m budget in two years. Do not tell me that this government is not placing the highest priority on health.’

He said the DHSC - which is undergoing an independent review of its funding and services - had agreed a target cost improvement plan of £7m overall for 2018-19 including £5m within its hospitals division.

But Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) argued that, in actual fact, there would be a reduction in DHSC spending. He said the ’probable spend’ for 2017/18, was expected to reach £218m, compared with £216m proposed for 2018/19.

’It is an actual reduction of voted spend compared with the current year probable expenditure,’ he said. ’There is no way you can spin this.’

Mr Hooper claimed: ’By restricting funding, CoMin is essentially trying to play hardball with another vital, core service.’

Former DHSC member Rob Callister (Onchan) expressed concern at the spending plans.

He said: ’I am not entirely sure if this department is still underfunded or simply a department full of inefficiencies and a department that cannot control its spending and the budgets.’

But Health Minister David Ashford, who was appointed to replace Kate Beecroft at the turn of the year, said: ’I think it is a good Budget settlement.’

He said the department would not stand still while the external review was carried out.

’We have much to do and much will be done to improve the financial performance of the health and social care systems whilst ensuring that patient and service user safety remains our primary aim.’

He said efficiencies already introduced would continue to bear fruit, but warned: ’The process of change will remain difficult.

’Hard choices will need to be made.’

But he added: ’I genuinely believe we have the opportunity to build a health and social care system we can be proud of.’

Former social care minister Chris Robertshaw welcomed Mr Cannan’s acknowledgement of the funding challenges ahead and added a word of warning.

’If we here on the island come anywhere close - on a pro rata basis - to the UK Office for Budget Responsibility forecast of health and social care escalating costs then the convergence of revenue and expenditure in the five years we see in the forecast before us would result in quite the opposite: a divergence of the two and be a very serious matter indeed.’

The extra public services funding also saw an additional £3.1m for the Department of Infrastructure, including an additional £1.1m to tackle potholed roads, while £2m will go on measures including investment into the operation of the horse trams.