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WQ.36/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER
BY DEPUTY M.R. HIGGINS OF ST. HELIER ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 15th JANUARY 2019
Question
Will the Minister explain whether responsibility for enforcement actions undertaken on behalf of States of Jersey departments has been centralised and, if so, what the staffing of this centralised section is; what procedures and timescales for enforcement actions have been adopted; and what system of checks and balances has been established?
Answer
To support greater efficiency and consistency, various regulatory and enforcement functions have been brought together, and are now working alongside each other as part of a new regulatory section within the Growth, Housing and Environment Department.
The staffing is of these functions, which include planning, building control, environmental protection, environmental health, trading standards, and driver and vehicle standards, is approximately 100 staff.
Bringing these functions together helps promote best practise, and while each function retains its own procedures and timescales as are suited to the service, common protocols will be applied where appropriate.
In addition, a range of enforcement actions undertaken on behalf of the States of Jersey continue to take place within other departments, recognising the specialist nature of the activity. For example, the Health and Safety Inspectorate, including its enforcement, falls under the Justice and Home Affairs Department, and issues of benefit compliance fall under Customer and Local Services Department. The regulatory section within the Growth, Housing and Environment Department will support and promote best regulatory practise across these and other areas, ensuring Islanders are served by appropriate, high quality, efficient regulation and enforcement.
As Chief Minster, I am aware that some concerns have been expressed about whether the checks and balances for the present structure could be strengthened. This is a matter which will be considered by COM in due course.