Thank you for inviting me here today. The idea of our two island jurisdictions working more closely together has been around for much longer than I have. It is a good idea, an obvious idea, and one that is now bearing fruit.
Officers from across both organisations have been liaising for some years now – exchanging ideas and sharing best practice. And Ministers meet regularly to discuss important policy principles and to learn from each other.
Joint working forum
When Guernsey’s Chief Minister spoke to the Jersey IOD in October he mentioned a new joint working forum. Senior officers from both islands are identifying opportunities to work more closely to reduce costs, increase efficiency or improve services. The group is particularly interested in finding ways to work together on health and social care, for instance -
- by establishing common IT systems – shared patient records would make it easier to provide joined up health services
- by jointly assessing public health needs
- by joining forces in procurement
- by sharing information for the benefit of people in both bailiwicks
We are facing similar challenges. We are reducing public spending, providing more funding for health and social care services, and increasing investment in capital infrastructure. So we need to share resources and prevent duplication.
The joint working forum is focusing on three main areas
1 - Procurement
We are sharing more information and coordinating our timescales to allow us to procure services together where possible. We are currently looking at the potential for joint procurement of off-island acute health care services. Officers will meet in January to take this forward.
2 - Technology
Technology is another area we are focusing on. We already have a strong base of pan-Island collaboration. Guernsey has just hosted the fourth bi-annual eGovernment meeting - with eGov and IT leads from Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
Wherever possible, all three jurisdictions are adopting common approaches. This will make it easier to embed cooperation in future, without the added difficulty of incompatible IT systems.
Guernsey’s Committee for Home Affairs and my department are determined to maintain our equivalent data protection standard with the EU so we continue to be seen as a safe jurisdiction for data.
We are redesigning the regulatory framework and maintaining a pan-Channel Island regulator. We are finalising the details for a preferred supplier – to help us maximise the economic opportunities that emerge from the changes in European data protection.
Law enforcement and information security teams from our two islands are working with officers from U.K. agencies - like the new National Cyber Security Centre - to counter the rising threat of cyber-crime to our communities.
3 - Public Health
Our third priority is closer collaboration in Public Health. A working party, jointly chaired by the Chief Executive of each island, will meet for the first time next month. Our health systems may be distinct, but we have a common aim of encouraging healthy lifestyles as our populations age.
These are practical examples of what we are doing together right now. Officers have also identified a number of areas where joint training and knowledge-sharing could reduce the cost and increase the pace of change. The best is definitely yet to come.
Global cooperation
To many beyond these Islands, we are viewed as one – with reputation and prosperity closely linked. In these turbulent political times, it is more important than ever that we present a united front to the world. If we work together we can influence more effectively, have more credibility on the international stage, cover more ground, and use our resources more cost-effectively.
We may be competitors in some areas – but it is in our best interests to combine forces on global issues of shared interest.
During the UK’s party political conference season we arrange joint Ministerial meetings with cross-party officials, MPs, Parliamentarians and Ministers. We achieve more by agreeing that one Island can speak collectively for the Channel Islands on key issues of the day.
We work well together on a daily basis – as evidenced by the successful operation of our joint Caen and Brussels offices. We work together on EU and UK initiatives on tax, Anti Money Laundering, financial regulation and EU issues. And we can work together effectively when the stakes are high and we are surrounded by uncertainty.
We’ve demonstrated this over the last few years in our approach to Brexit, and to EU developments on financial services and tax.
Engagement with EU
If we look at Europe - the Channel Islands Brussels Office works on behalf of both our Islands on big ticket items like -
- the automatic exchange of information
- country by country reporting
- beneficial ownership
Our permanent representatives operate on behalf of both Islands, engaging regularly with officials, helping them to understand our islands, reviewing important documents and providing timely insights into developments.
Together we are better able to lobby – and we gain increased gravitas with EU institutions. Guernsey’s Chief Minister and I make regular visits to meet officials and politicians in Brussels. Our next trip is later this month, when we will be lobbying on issues common to both islands - like the process of EU blacklisting.
We are also working - through the Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes - to build our relationship with France, our closest neighbour. We signed a Channel Islands cooperation agreement with Normandy in September when the President of the Normandy Region, Hervé Morin, and the President of La Manche, Philippe Bas, made an official visit to the Channel Islands. At that meeting we agreed joint projects in higher education, academic exchanges, culture, environment and tourism.
We also have a Channel Islands cooperation agreement with the Préfecture of la Manche for emergency planning and civil safety. This work is especially important in a post-Brexit EU.
Brexit
Earlier this month I went with my fellow Chief Ministers of Guernsey and the Isle of Man to meet Robin Walker MP at the Department for Exiting the European Union. He has responsibility for ensuring that our interests are taken into account as the UK engages in negotiations to leave the European Union.
The meeting was a good opportunity to build on the important joint work that has been taking place at official level between the Crown Dependencies and the United Kingdom since the Brexit vote. We agreed we would attend quarterly joint meetings. Working together in this way is a more efficient use of resources, it helps ensure our messages are aligned and that we are speaking as one when clarifying our position to the UK government.
Multi-lateral engagement
Further afield - we recently attended a joint meeting in Paris with the OECD’s Secretary-General Angel Gurría. We signed an agreement to exchange tax information as part of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) programme.
This agreement was further evidence of the commitment of all the Crown Dependencies to continued compliance with international standards on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.
Shared purpose
In short - we have more that joins than separates us. We may enjoy the friendly rivalry at events like the Muratti or the Siam Cup, but we face common challenges and opportunities. With an ageing demographic across the western world, our two small communities can achieve more together than apart.
We still need continued economic success, as a strong economy allows us to care for islanders of all ages. And we still need profitable, competitive businesses to generate the revenue that funds public services. Sometimes that will mean we are in competition with each other, but that doesn’t stop us from working more closely in providing services to islanders. In fact the ageing population makes it even more important that we maximise the potential for efficiencies and savings across the bailiwicks.
We will continue to reduce duplication of governance, as we have in the areas of competition, civil aviation and financial ombudsman. We will look further into how we can reduce duplication in our taxation and social security systems. We will continue to align our technology to allow greater sharing of medical care.
Both islands are developing long term plans, so this is the right time to plan practical, achievable steps towards ever more joint working.
Both islands have their own, particular cultures and we should not change that, but we must take advantage of economies of scale in procuring services, in sharing health care, in global engagement.
Our future prosperity depends on doing all we can to maximise our joint interests.
We have agreed the policy. We have a plan. And we have now put in place some of the building blocks that provide a clear path to true joint working.
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