Fort Regent Review (SR 11/2009): Ministerial Response

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 27 January 2010 to approve the Ministerial response to Scrutiny Fort Regent Review

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2010-0002
Decision Summary Title :	Fort Regent Review (S.R. 11/2009): Response of the ESC Minister		Date of Decision Summary:	27th January 2010
Decision Summary Author:	Jeremy Harris, Assistant Director – Policy and Planning		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title :	Fort Regent Review (S.R.11/2009): Response of the ESC Minister		Date of Written Report:	21st December 2009
Written Report Author:	Department for Education, Sport and Culture		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Response of the ESC Minister to the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel’s Review of Fort Regent (S.R.11/2009).
Decision(s): The Minister approved the attached response to the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel’s Review of Fort Regent (S.R.11/2009), and decided this should be published in the form of a report to the States for the information of States members and the public.
Reason(s) for Decision: This response is being published in accordance with paragraph 2 of the ‘Guidance for Ministers responding to Scrutiny Reports’, published in late 2009, which states that responses to scrutiny reports should ‘be sent to the Chairman of the relevant Scrutiny Panel, copied to the Council of Ministers for information and presented to the States’.
Resource Implications: The publication of this response has no significant financial and manpower implications.
Action required: A copy of the response has already been sent to the Chairman of the Scrutiny Panel. The ESC Department will send a copy of the report to the Council of Ministers for information, and will contact the States Greffe to arrange for the response to be published as a report to the States.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision :