Economic Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 21 April 2017

Present

Deputy S.M. Brée, Chairman Deputy D. Johnson , Vice-Chairman Connétable M.J. Paddock

Apologies

Connétable J.E. Le Maistre

Absent

In attendance

Mr M. Orbell, Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Digital Policy Framework

The Panel met with the Chief Officer, Financial Services and the Director of Digital and Telecoms Policy, Chief Minister's Department, Mr. Tony Moretta, CEO and Mr. Lloyd Adams, Head of Strategy, Digital Jersey for a private briefing on the Digital Policy Framework.

Prior  to  the  briefing  the  Panel  Chairman  asked  that  the  Panel's dissatisfaction  with  the  absence  of  the  Assistant  Minister  with responsibility for this area, Deputy S.M. Wickenden, from this long- arranged meeting be noted. It was understood that the Assistant Minister had travelled to Majorca to attend another meeting.

The  Chairman  also  referred  to  a  response  from  the  Chief  Officer, Financial Services to Panel questions previously sent by email, which stated  that  a  new  strategic  review  and  report  on  financial  services commissioned  from  McKinsey  consultants  would  be  the  property  of Jersey Finance Limited, and would therefore not be circulated more widely within the States of Jersey or States Assembly. The Chief Officer confirmed that was due to the need for commercial confidentiality. The Chairman drew attention to the fact that Jersey Finance was a grant- funded body, and expressed serious concerns about the spending of £900,000 of public funds on a report that no-one outside a select few would  be  allowed  to  see,  which  would  also  make  it  impossible  to scrutinise. The Chief Officer suggested that it may be possible to offer briefings to Scrutiny as the process went ahead, and stated that the department  wanted  to  co-operate  with  Scrutiny,  but  also  wanted  to minimise circulation of the detailed contents of the review.

MO

MO