Letter - Economic and International Affairs Panel to Minister for Economic Development re Government Plan - 16 August 2019

Scrutiny Office

Senator Lyndon Farnham

Minister for Economic Development, Sport and Culture By email

16th August 2019 Dear Minister

Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel Government Plan Review

I write to inform you that the Economic and International Affairs Panel will undertake a Scrutiny Review of the Government Plan, specifically project areas within the Panel's remit (the Terms of Reference for the review have been appended to this letter).

By way of background, a Review Panel has been established which has co-ordinated the overall scrutiny  of  the  Government  Plan.  All  five  Scrutiny  Panels  will  be  reviewing  a  number  of programmes, capital investment projects and actions contained within the Plan and the Review Panel has allocated a number of these projects to each Panel.

The following projects have been allocated to this Panel which we understand come under your portfolio:

• Inspiring an Active Jersey (CSP2-1-01)
• Future Economic Partnerships Goods and Borders Cluster (CSP3-1-03)
• Trade and Export function (CSP3-01-09)
• Delivering the Digital Policy Framework (CSP3-2-03)
• Digital Jersey Growth (CSP3-2-05)
• Economic Framework and Productivity Support (CSP3-2-06)
• Promoting Jersey (CSP3-2-10)
• Rural Economy Strategy (CSP3-2-11)
• Cyber Security Growth (may also come under External Relations) (CSP3-5-02)
• Heritage, Arts and Culture (CSP3-5-02)
• Sport Division - minor capital replacements (CSP3-5-04)

Request 1: We would be very grateful if you could provide as much information as possible on each of these projects, and let us know whether there is a crossover with other Ministers.

The information we are seeking includes, but is not limited to:

• Full business plans/cases for each project - it is noted that summaries are provided in R.91 but the Panel would like the full cases for each project and any other supporting documents;
• Any Council of Ministers papers;
• Details of any external stakeholders and internal groups or boards who may have been involved in the development of the project;
• The underlying policy for each project.

A number of capital programmes have also been assigned to the Panel as follows:

As you will be aware, the capital projects do not have a ministerial lead. Nonetheless we would still like to question a ministerial representative on each capital project, or at least about the policy underpinning the investment.

Request 2: Please could you identify which projects, from the list provided above, you have been involved in?

Request 3: Please could you provide the full Capital Business Case submissions for each, and any other supporting documentation?

We note that part 2 of the Government Plan sets out how the government will action on each of the five priorities in the Common Strategic Policy. In that regard, the Government Plan Review Panel has also assigned each Panel a list of actions to review. The actions allocated to the Panel are:

• Deliver a range of preventative and proactive schemes
• Further investment in sports facilities

• Protect and strengthen Jersey's status
• Closely monitor and respond to the future UK/EU partnership
• Further work to manage the impacts of Brexit on Jersey's customs and immigration
• Continue delivery of GMS
• Deliver year 1 of the European Relations Strategy 2020-23
• Continue to invest in Jersey's overseas offices
• Ensure that Jersey continues to engage effectively with relevant multilateral bodies
• Increase Jersey's overseas aid contributions
• Develop an action plan to build a stronger, more inclusive sense of island identity
• Take forward the work of the independent charity commission
• Develop and deliver the first phase of the Economic framework
• Establish a financial stability board
• Financial support to Visit Jersey
• Additional investment in Digital Jersey
• Continue investment in Jersey's Digital Policy Framework
• Increasing the capacity of the Jersey Competition regulatory authority
• Forge new and stronger commercial relationships
• Invest in AML and CFT processes
• Provide improved, more up-to-date equipment in key Government sport facilities
• Invest in the resources required to deliver Jersey's Cyber Security
• Ensure 1% of the Government budget is dedicated to Jersey's arts and culture
• Long-term solution for Fort Regent
• Continue to expand on the Guernsey-Jersey Joint Working Programme

Request 4: Please could you identify which actions, from the list provided above, you have been involved in? We note that some of the actions will relate directly to a project and would be grateful if you could correlate these in your response.

Request 5: If you think we would benefit from a briefing on any of the projects in the first instance, please let me know so these can be organised promptly.

As I'm sure you can appreciate, this is a huge piece of work and will require thorough planning in order to cover all aspects under our remit. In terms of the timescale, we will likely be holding public hearings during mid-September to early October and would appreciate your availability during this period.

We look forward to working with you and thank you in advance for your assistance on this issue. Yours sincerely

Deputy Kirsten Morel

Chairman

Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel

 Scrutiny Office | States Greffe | Morier House | St Helier | Jersey | JE1 1DD Tel: 01534 441080 | Fax: 01534 441077 | email: scrutiny@gov.je

Appendix

Terms of Reference (Generic) Government Plan 2020

Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel

The terms of reference for the review are as follows:

1. Note that sections/projects of the Government Plan will be allocated to Panels by the Government Plan Review Panel (GPRP) on a best fit' basis.
2. Undertake an in-depth review of the allocated sections/projects of the Government Plan 2020, considering:

• Whether funded projects meet the Ongoing Initiatives, Common Themes and, ultimately, Common Strategic Priorities?
• Ensuring that the projects and amendments to be lodged are consistent with the requirements of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 201-
• The level of resourcing, of all forms, allocated to projects and whether this is sufficient or excessive in enabling the project to meet its stated aims.
• If project resource allocation is appropriate in relation to overall departmental budgets?
• Whether funded projects align with Departmental objectives? [NB: if and where they exist]
• Whether or not there are clear lines of accountability for each project?
• The ongoing sustainability of projects.

3. Provide the GPRP with a report and any amendments by the date agreed.