Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas said there would be a statement on a consistent government policy on means-testing by the end of the year.

The policy would be applied to areas such as health and housing.

Responding to a request for an update from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey), Mr Thomas said: ’Cabinet Office consulted on high-level principles throughout summer 2017 with the results published in October 2017.

’In line with the Programme for Government amendments for year two, the high-level policy for means-testing will be finalised for December 2018.’

Mr Hooper said he was aware of the timetable, but he wanted to know when the detailed proposals would be released. The minister said the principles of a new means-testing policy would be applied in health and care, housing and other public services such as education.

’The timetable for all those different areas of means testing is determined primarily in those departments, but it surely is a good thing that there is a consistency that anybody can understand between the approaches taken?’ he added. ’That is what I am trying to bring about through making a statement on where we are with means-testing by December 2018.’