Bring on the Brexit team

Friday 16 September 2016

Ministers are putting aside £1.75million to plan for the effects on the Island's economy of Brexit.

They've had to amend the criteria of a special £18.5million fund to allow the money to be used to set up a special 'Brexit planning unit' within the External Relations Ministry.

The scale of the funding suggests that Ministers' initial 'wait and see' approach is now being signficiantly ramped up, as they try and put across the Island's interests in the middle of the UK's own negotiations with the EU. 

The 'Economic and Productivity Growth Drawdown Provision,' was originally set up to "...support initiatives aimed at improving and protecting economic growth and increasing the Island’s productivity."  But in a statement published by the Treasury, it says:

"...the procedures now acknowledge that the United Kingdom’s (UK) vote to leave the European Union (Brexit) has the capacity to influence economic growth and productivity in the Island and presents potential economic opportunities.

"A Brexit planning unit...team will establish and coordinate a high-level working group across all States departments to assess potential implications for Jersey and to determine the Island’s cross-cutting interests in Brexit negotiations. In addition to the formation of a dedicated Brexit team, a range of other work to assess the scale and nature of economic opportunities resulting from the UK’s changed circumstances will also be undertaken."

 The Minister for External Relations, Senator Sir Philip Bailhache added:

 “As the Chief Minister identified in his address to the States Assembly, our engagement with the UK Government since their referendum on EU membership has been very positive, and it is vital that this remains the case. With the formation of this new Brexit team, we can be assured that our interests will be well represented during the coming months and years.”

A well as funding for a 'Brexit team,' the Treasury has also announced: £324,000 will be spent on enabling, "...Jersey to respond to the introduction in 2018 of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This money will help to enable the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) to respond to increased regulatory requirements under the GDPR, as well as allowing Government to seek to identify alternative funding models for the OIC, which may reduce the financial cost to Government and enable the Island to explore new economic opportunities under a different data protection regime."

Finally, Digital Jersey is to be given another £107,000 to, "...further develop on-Island digital businesses and skills. The funds will be used to address an identified shortage in local digital skills by helping Digital Jersey to establish new digital skills courses, a dedicated digital skills zone and an enhanced co-working space at the Digital Jersey Hub."