Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1176480
maltatoday | TUESDAY • 15 OCTOBER 2019 5 BUDGET 2020 Health The health ministry has a wage bill of €309 million. Medicines and surgical materials will cost €129 million, almost €15 million more than 2019. The National Diabetes Strategy will benefit from €3.5 million, a sixfold increase on the budget for 2019. €1,829,291,000 €734,937,000 million Out €5.4 billion Total expenditure President/Ombudsman/NAO/Standards €10.4m Parliament €10.4m OPM €73.4m Economy Ministry €24.3m Energy Ministry €97.1m Equality and EU Affairs Ministry €25.3m Finance Ministry €261.2m Tourism Ministry €123.2m Justice, Culture and Local government €151.4m Environment Ministry €106.7m Foreign Ministry €34.7m Transport and Infrastructure Ministry €101.7m Home affairs €185.6m: Expenditure on the army will reach €57 million, a slight increase over 2019. On the other hand, the police force will have a budget of €78 million, almost €10 million more. Gozo €48.3m: The Gozo ministry will see its budget increase by €4.4 million to €48m. A scheme to incentivise businesses in Gozo will get a tenfold increase in its budget next year with €1 million voted for it. The new Gozo Regional Development Authority will get €200,000. Interest on public debt €183.5m: Interest payment on public debt will drop by around €10 million next year. COMPILED BY KURT SANSONE OTHER MINISTRIES Social Solidarity This remains the big spender with almost €2 billion spread on various social benefits, programmes and pensions. Contributory benefits tot up to €867 million, including €600 million in retirement pensions. Expenditure on children's allowance will cost the country €41.8 million while the government will fork out less in social assistance. Capital investment Expenditure on capital projects is forecast to top €735 million in 2020 with government continuing with its major electoral pledge to invest €100 million per year on road projects. The capital projects fund for Gozo is €19.2 million, including €500,000 allocated for the Marsalforn master plan. €702,024,000 Education The childcare for all scheme will cost €25 million. Half-a-million will be spent on security systems in schools, while the University of Malta will get €82 million. Church schools will receive €95 million. €648,334,000