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22.01.18
4 Senator S.Y. Mézec of the Minister for Treasury and Resources regarding Living
Wage employers (OQ.2/2022)
Further to the adoption of P.122/2017 in February 2018, will the Minister update the Assembly on what progress, if any, has been made by States-owned bodies in seeking official accreditation as living wage employers?"
Deputy S.J. Pinel of St. Clement (The Minister for Treasury and Resources):
P.122/2017 requested the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as shareholder representative, to urge those incorporated bodies, of which the States of Jersey is sole shareholder, to seek accreditation as living wage employers. Firstly, I can confirm that all employees of the wholly-owned States entities are paid the living wage level and many of them above. Jersey Telecom and the States of Jersey Development Company are officially accredited with living wage employers, and Ports of Jersey and Andium Homes are working towards obtaining their accreditation in 2022.
- Senator S.Y. Mézec :
I am pleased to hear of those that are seeking accreditation this year. Does the Minister have any indications on the impact this has had on those bodies in terms of ... I am thinking in particular of cleaning contracts and things like that. Has she received any feedback about any difficulties that those States-owned bodies are facing or does she anticipate that the journey to accreditation will be smooth for them?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
It is a 2-part question, I will try to answer the Senator. Part of the original proposition refers to ensuring wage rates offered by contractors are taken into consideration in the evaluation of tenders for goods and services. I am sure that this is a consideration in the States-owned entities procurement process while ensuring that tendering delivers best value in terms of costs and services. Does that answer the question?
- Deputy R.J. Ward :
How many contracts from States-owned bodies of this type have been renewed this term? Can we get some idea of the quantity that we are dealing with here?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
The contracts and evaluating tenders issued by the States of Jersey departments and other bodies is overseen by Treasury and Exchequer but the States-owned entities undertake their own procurement activity, so I do not have the total numbers with me.
- Deputy R.J. Ward :
Would the Minister agree that that would be the time to ensure that those, if you like, subcontracts to suppliers are also part of the living wage process so that we are not having an avoidance of paying the living wage by the back door through subcontracts?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
I understand that and I think the States-owned entities understand that as well, which is why their tenders and procurement activities are very well-considered.
- Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier :
Could the Minister take this answer a stage further and state how many outsourced services have been offered, have been renegotiated in the last couple of years, and have those contracts been supervised in terms of a living wage?
Deputy S.J. Pinel:
I think that is similar to Deputy Ward 's question. This is a matter for the States-owned entities and I will try to ascertain the figures for both Deputies but, as I say, it is not something I would have to hand.