A revised Ministerial Plan

WQ.85/2023

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER

BY DEPUTY M.R. SCOTT OF ST. BRELADE QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2023 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 6th MARCH 2023

Question

Further to the response to Written Question 55/2023, will the Chief Minister –

1. provide both a revised Ministerial Plan and Delivery Plan for External Relations highlighting any areas of anticipated involvement by the Minister for External Relations in promoting, protecting or otherwise representing the Island in finance industry matters;
2. explain –
   1. the apparent inconsistency in the application of ministerial standards by allowing the Minister to retain the External Relations part of his portfolio while removing the Financial Services part; and
   2. the term “proportionate” in respect of the response;
3. expand upon the response given to part (c) by providing details of any risk assessments, consultations or accompanying procedures that were carried out prior to the decision to the portfolio changes; and, if no such were carried out, provide an explanation as to why it was not considered necessary; and
4. expand upon the response given to part (d) in relation to the decision to allow the Minister to retain the External Relations portfolio by providing –

1. the number of expressions of concern received from people involved or formerly involved in the finance industry; and
2. the total number of communications received in respect of this decision expressing concern?

Answer

1. A revised Ministerial Delivery Plan will be produced to reflect the transfer of responsibility for Financial Services to the Chief Minister. The Minister for External Relations will continue to represent Jersey overseas on the full range of Jersey’s interests, in accordance with the Common Policy for External Relations. Where planned in relation to Financial Services, this is also included in their Ministerial Delivery Plan.

1. There is no inconsistency. I have explained that the transfer of financial services was a proportionate response to personal administrative issues that were highlighted, notably, that this was an issue with personal finance that felt incompatible with holding responsibility for financial services, and that further action was not required.
2. Proportionate means an action or response equivalent or consistent to the matter in hand.

3. The States of Jersey Law provides that the allocation of ministerial portfolios is a matter for the Chief Minister, and as previously explained, Ministers and Assistant Ministers accumulate knowledge and experience which helps inform decisions on an ongoing basis, including considering risk and reaction. In this case, that enabled me to take a rapid, and proportionate decision. I do not believe that the response to Deputy Ozouf ’s personal administrative issues warranted, or would have benefited from, further consideration.

4. On brief review, I only received less than a handful of emails relating to this matter. Decisions on this matter were not fundamentally driven by the volume of public correspondence, but my own decisions as to what was appropriate, and proportionate, in the circumstances.