Ministers trip spending 2024 (FOI)

Request

1.

How many foreign trips for states business has each minister and assistant minister made since the government came to power in January 2024? 

2.

How much money has each ministerial department spent on these trips since the government came to power in January 2024? 

3.

How much money on these trips has been spent on first class plane tickets and luxury hotels?

Response

1 and 2

The Council of Ministers published a report scheduling costs incurred in November 2024; Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 therefore applies to this information. Please see the link below: 

States Assembly | P.71/2024 Com. 

The information for the full year 2024 will be published within the next 12 weeks. Article 36 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 therefore applies to this information. 

3.

To review all spending on air travel to classify by ticket type would exceed the time limits prescribed under Regulation, Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.    

The term “luxury hotel” is not clear. However, it would also take in excess of the 12.5 hours prescribed to review all spending on hotels to classify by hotel type. Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied to this information. 

Articles applied 

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations. 

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 36 - Information intended for future publication

(1) Information is qualified exempt information if, at the time when the request for the

information is made, the information is being held by a public authority with a view to its being published within 12 weeks of the date of the request.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground

must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant –

(a) of the date when the information will be published.

(b) of the manner in which it will be published; and

(c) by whom it will be published.

(3) In this Article, “published” means published –

(a) by a public authority; or

(b) by any other person.

Public Interest test 

Article 36 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test has to be undertaken to examine the circumstances of the case and decide whether, on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure: 

• ​​​​disclosure of the information would support transparency and promote accountability to the general public.

Public interest considerations favouring withholding the information:

• ​​It is intended to publish a report containing this information on www.gov.je within 12 weeks of the receipt of this request, once collation and verification of the data has been completed. In it is reasonable for government to publish information in an orderly manner, following completion of appropriate internal processes, and publishing in advance, and in such close proximity to the expected publication date, would potentially undermine the orderly publication and conduct of government work (when the public benefit of earlier publication under the Law would derive limited benefit).​