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States Greffe
Deputy John Young Minister for the Environment BY EMAIL
11th March 2021 Dear Minister,
Written Questions – Government Plan 2021 Ministerial Response
The Panel would like to request a written response to the following questions in relation to your remit of the Government Plan 2021 Ministerial Response.
R3 - The Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism Sport and Culture should, by the end of Q1 2021, put in place suitable protocols to ensure a more collaborative approach to their involvement in the Jersey National Park project and in the support extended to the Jersey National Park.
- Minister, you agreed with this recommendation and noted that a revised Rural Economy Strategy was being developed in Q1. Could you briefly outline how updates to the framework for the Jersey National Park Policy (being worked on currently) will achieve the desired outcomes for enhanced collaboration?
- How will this be monitored to ensure that that the written protocols are actioned?
R5- Given the extensive crossover between the two remits of Infrastructure and Environment, both Ministers should put in place suitable protocols to ensure more joined up working, with a greater emphasis on breaking down silos and adopting a more collaborative approach. Both Ministers should report back to the Panel by the end of Q1 2021 with an action plan as to how this will be achieved going forward.
- Given that this recommendation was made based on a key finding which showed a lack of collaboration and joint working in relation to the reduction of funds for the Island Public Realm capital project, could you explain your reasons for rejecting this recommendation?
- In your response, it was noted that joint meetings occur weekly with the Director General for IHE to ensure cross portfolio briefings. In your view, is this type of collaboration sufficient and does it provide the adequate opportunity for effective collaborative working and to resolve matters that cross over remits?
- In your view, how could collaborative working across remits be further improved?
R16 - The Minister for the Environment should seek to ensure going forward that a wide variety of reputable, independent research on marine resources related matters is drawn upon by Government, and given the implications arising from Brexit, endeavor to find ways to collaborate and engage with voluntary and third sector organisations to form mutually beneficial partnerships and new, innovative ways of working.
- Minister you accepted our recommendation. It was noted within your response that in particular, Brexit and the TCA agreement on fishing would require substantial additional investment in scientific resources, could you briefly explain the type of scientific resources you were alluding to and the desired outcomes from those resources?
- Would these resources require additional funding?
R17 - The Minister for the Environment should seek to ensure that, now and post-Brexit, suitable engagement and support is extended to the fishing industry, given the significant implications this will inevitably have for the industry.
- Minister you accepted our recommendation. You noted in your response that you are seeking administrative, financial, and infrastructure support for fishing aquaculture and you believed that political responsibility for these resources should sit within your portfolio. Could you briefly, in you view, explain the rationale for this?
- Can you elaborate on why there is continuing delay to resolve the matter of financial and administrative support for the fishing industry especially given the implications of Brexit would largely have been known about for some time beforehand?
- Minister, how do you intend to engage with and support the fishing industry going forward?
- Minister, considering it is your view that you should have political responsibility for these resources, how do you intend to apply that responsibly to support the industry?
The Panel would appreciate a written response by Friday the 19th March 2021. It is the Panel's intention to publish the response received on the States Assembly Website.
Yours sincerely,
Connétable M. K. Jackson
Chair
Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel