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Deputy Moz Scott
Chair
Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel By email
28th June 2023 Dear Deputy Scott ,
Thank you for your letter on behalf of the Panel to Deputy Ozouf regarding communications to international partners of the views of the States Assembly. Deputy Ozouf has asked me to respond on his behalf, and I can confirm that the Chief Minister will be writing to representatives of the Faroe Islands following the adoption of P.35/2023 last week.
The Government of Jersey takes account of the views of Assembly Members, and the constituents we represent, where concerns relating to the international community are raised. A key mechanism for achieving this is the Common Policy for External Relations, which was updated and published after comprehensive debate in the Assembly last September. The Common Policy provides direction, transparency and accountability in respect of the Government's approach to international engagement, setting out the guiding principles and priorities for Jersey's external relations activity, as informed by the Assembly debate.
To ensure we are able to ascertain the views of the Assembly on an ongoing basis, Ministers and officials will continue to engage regularly with the Panel as the primary and proper channel to review, question and as appropriate, to inform the work of the department. Where the Panel has specific areas of interest, we stand ready to engage, providing additional opportunity for question and dialogue.
Recently, this has included private briefings on matters such as Bilateral Investment Treaties, and we are keen that this proactive approach continues in addition to our public Scrutiny hearings. Through mechanisms such as Questions Without Notice, as well as proposition-led debates, all Assembly Members have regular opportunities to convey to the Government their views on international matters. Deputy Ozouf and I are of course available should members of the Assembly wish to contact us directly.
I can assure you the Government of Jersey does reflect such views through our international engagement. This is evidenced not only in our approach following P.35/2023, but also across a range of key issues including climate change and human rights, as identified in your letter. Whilst acknowledging the UK's role as the sovereign party responsible for raising such issues on Jersey's behalf, the Government of Jersey has taken a strong stance to engage on these matters with our key partners in our own right, in line with wider UK foreign policy. On recent Ministerial visits, for example, Deputy Ozouf has met with representatives including the UAE's Climate Change Minister to reassert the importance of our jurisdictions achieving carbon neutrality, as well as with British Embassy representatives to stress Jersey's desire to see and support further progress on human and labour rights.
Noting your second question, the Council of Ministers remains firmly aligned to the key principles of Jersey's international engagement as outlined in the Common Policy. Whilst this was apparent from the debate on the substantive content of P.35/2023, many colleagues questioned the appropriateness of using the Assembly as a platform for raising such issues, particularly as no jurisdiction, Jersey included, is without deficiency or fault. Indeed, from experience in working extensively with foreign governments, we have found that the most effective means of conveying the Island's views to external parties and encouraging change is through respectful and diplomatic dialogue.
Finally, I believe that the Common Policy – in addition to the regular touchpoints described above – provides a firm foundation for the communication of Jersey's key interests to partner jurisdictions. It is rightly a matter for Government to oversee these communications in line with its responsibilities for developing the Island's bilateral and multilateral relationships, however I would like to reassure you that the views of the States Assembly remain of paramount importance to the conduct and content of our external relations.
Kind regards,
Deputy Ian Gorst
Assistant Minister for External Relations