Locate Jersey and the Housing and Work Advisory Group (HAWAG) (FOI)

Request

Please provide the following information listed below related to Locate Jersey and the Housing and Work Advisory Group (HAWAG).

A

Procedures and protocols used to determine the eligibility for residency under the high-value residency scheme.

B

The names of independent vendors used for Enhanced Due Diligence checks.

C

Statistics from 2017 and 2018 that include the number of applications for residency; the number of referrals to independent vendors for Enhanced Due Diligence checks; number of referrals to the Jersey Financial Services Commission and Jersey Attorney General, and residency approvals and rejections.

Response 

A

The process for dealing with applications for 2(1)(E) Residency Following an enquiry from a client to Locate Jersey is publicly available on the High Value Residency pages on the Locate Jersey website. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. Please see the link below: 

Criteria and Applications for HNWI Relocation (locatejersey.com)

A dossier is then prepared for Ministers on the Housing and Work Advisory Group to consider.

The published ministerial policy is publicly available on www.gov.je Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. Please see link below to paragraphs 115 to 122:

Residential and Employment Status Policy Guidance.pdf (gov.je)

B

Locate Jersey has an annual subscription for RiskScreen.

www.riskscreen.com 

C

Article 31 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied to some of the information within table and redactions applied. 

Articles applied 

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.

Article 31 - Advice by the Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff or a Law Officer

Information is qualified exempt information if it is or relates to the provision of advice by the Bailiff, Deputy Bailiff or the Attorney General or the Solicitor General.

Public Interest Test

Articles 31 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test is required to be undertaken. 

Although there is a need for transparency and accountability by public authorities, the public interest does not outweigh the requirement to maintain Law Officer privilege. The public Interest test falls on the side of non-disclosure.