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States Greffe
Deputy Sam Mézec
Chair, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel
BY EMAIL
31st March 2023 Dear Chair,
Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel Freedom of Information Law and Transparency
The Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel has recently discussed how Ministers under its remit actively disseminate information contained within Business Cases for the Government Plan, and other documents, to the public.
Understandably, these will contain commercially sensitive information exempt from publication under the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 (the Law). This has been identified as a reason for not releasing such documents in their entirety by the Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sports and Culture.
The Panel has also observed that Arm's Length Organisations under the remit of our scrutiny do not necessarily fall within the established articles of the Law. This was a matter of debate within the Assembly, which adopted the proposition "Freedom of Information: extension to companies owned or controlled by the States" (P.149/2014) in November 2014.
Noting that the Chief Minister is politically responsible for the Law, the Panel agreed to write to you to enquire if this would be a topic the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel may be taking forward for scrutiny?
Yours sincerely,
Deputy Moz Scott
Chair
Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel