Amendments to IT and technology expenses for States members

1240/5(8228)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE

BY THE CONNÉTABLE OF ST. JOHN ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 1st APRIL 2014

Question

Following the announcement of changes to the means of providing and funding IT services for States members will the Chairman explain –

1. why the decision was taken to change the previous method of paying broadband costs as part of phone billing;
2. how the new funding mechanism will operate and, in particular, whether members will have to prove that they have spent their allowance on IT technology, what happens to expenses for members who have already stated they will not stand again for election and whether part of the sum will be reclaimed if a member loses his or her seat at the election;
3. whether PPC will liaise with the Information Services Department to put in place appropriate methods to ensure that all equipment used is checked for legacy data clearance when a member leaves office?

Answer

1. The need to change the broadband billing refund system was effectively forced on the States by the introduction of the new Jersey Telecom billing system. Under the old JT system the company was content to receive payment for the cost of members' basic 2Mb broadband service separately from other parts of the phone bill paid by the member but when the new billing system was introduced JT made it clear that this would no longer be possible. The States Information Services Department and the PPC were therefore forced to consider an alternative method of paying broadband costs for members as has been done for some 10 years. The new system has the added advantage that members now have the opportunity to decide what broadband package they want in order to carry out their States work and gives them the opportunity to decide whether they want to claim expenses to cover the cost of their broadband provision, or to meet the cost themselves. As part of the change it was also decided to stop the provision of laptops to members and to allow them instead to use a wider range of devices than Information Services could supply and support under the previous arrangements.
2. The changes have been funded under the existing £31,000 budget for members' Information Services provision and have led to no increase in cost to the tax payer. This equates to an allowance of £600 per annum per States member. As 2014 is an election year, the allowance has been prorated down to £550. This is because members who are not elected for a further term of office will receive remuneration, including expenses, until the end of November 2014. Those members who are re-elected will be able to claim their December 2014 allowance at that time. Members have all received an Information Services Claim Form that they can submit to the States Greffe. To date, 23 States members have requested an allowance, totalling £12,650. If members continue to receive the basic JT broadband package, this would cost £17.99 per month, equating to £215.88 per annum, which is over one third of the provided allowance. The IS department will also no longer be required to maintain devices which have been purchase private,y. Members are not required to prove that the money has been spent on information technology, but in filling out the form they specify the amount they wish to claim, which is stated as being "towards the cost of the provision of hardware, software and broadband services in relation to my work as a States member". The States Members' Remuneration Review Body will be asked to consider how the expenses can be reflected within the standard expenses allowance from 2015. This was communicated to members in my letter of 3rd January 2014.

3. PPC has been informed by Information Services of the already existing protocols regarding legacy data. If a member has a States of Jersey issued laptop then Information Services will work with the member at the end of their term of office to remove information that is personal in nature. The device will then be securely wiped and returned to Information Services. Corporate email will be wiped from any device, whether it is the member's own, or corporate, at the end of the member's term of office or on the validated request of the Privileges and Procedures Committee or the Greffier of the States. This process can be completed remotely by Information Services. Other information that might be related to, but is not clearly identified as corporate, will not be dealt with unless the Committee specifically asks Information Services to be involved. Such information may include, but not be limited to, physical letters that have been created in Word, saved, printed and sent by post or emails that have been sent from non-States of Jersey accounts. States members are all subject to Data Protection requirements, which also apply to any paper documentation in the possession of any States member.