TREASURY & Resources ITEM NO:
TREASURY AND RESOURCES MINISTER
FORMULA FOR PASSPORT FEES
- Purpose of Report
To enable the Minister for Treasury and Resources to approve a request from the Home Affairs Department to approve a formula for future rises in passport fees.
- Background
Paragraph 5.12 of financial direction 4.1 (“Increases in States Fees and Charges”) states, in relation to proposed increases in fees of more than 2.5%:
“The prior approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources WILL NOT be required where increases are calculated by reference to statute, or by a formula which has already received the approval of the States or the Minister for Treasury and Resources.”
Historically it has long been the practice in Jersey to set passport fees at the same level as the UK. Passports are issued on behalf of the UK and it seems illogical that charges should be different between the UK and the Channel Islands.
Given that UK passport fees are currently increasing by greater than 2.5% and are likely to continue to do so as international security measures improve, the Home Affairs Department is faced with the need to annually seek approval from the Minister for their corresponding increases. This would seem to be bureaucratic and unnecessary. The Department is therefore requesting that, in accordance with financial direction 4.1, the Minister gives approval that, until further notice, passport fees in Jersey will be set at the same rate at the UK.
This would mean that fees received by the Customs and Immigration Service would increase in October 2007 from £66 to £72 for a normal adult British passport (a rise of 9.1%) and from £45 to £46 for a child’s passport (a 2.2% rise). Fees received would still be less than the overall cost of the Service.
- Recommendation
That the Minister approves the adoption of a formula for all future passport fee increases in Jersey to keep these in line with fees in the UK.
- Reason for Decision
Paragraph 5.12 of financial direction 4.1 allow an increase in fees of more than 2.5% to be applied without the prior approval of the Minister where a formula is used which has received the approval of the Minister.
States Treasury Kevin Hemmings, Head of Decision Support
5 September, 2007 for decision 6 th September 2007