15 September 2025
Islanders are being invited to give their views on the scope of the Freedom of Information, FOI, Law in a public consultation launching as part of a wider government review.
The consultation is open from Monday 15 September 2025 until Monday 10 November
2025. Interim Review of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011
The Government of Jersey published its Interim Report on the
review of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011, R-138-2025.pdf, on Monday 15 September setting out the
progress made so far to:
- strengthen transparency
- improve efficiency, and
- make more information available to Islanders without the need for a formal FOI request.
Since the review began in March 2025, work has focused on:
- Improving processes: new Freedom of Information training for staff, clearer procedures
for appeals, and more consistency in how responses are handled
- Helping requestors: clearer information on the FOI webpages, more consistent
response formats, and direct engagement with frequent requestors to help them find
information more easily
- Publishing more data proactively: working with Statistics Jersey and other departments
to identify high-demand information (such as crime statistics, hospital staffing, housing
and migration figures) for regular publication, reducing the need for repeated FOI
requests
- Planning for the future: early development of a new digital FOI portal that will simplify
the process for the public, reduce administrative burden, and improve the accuracy of
FOI reporting.
Having started these improvements and undertaken in-depth analysis, the intention now is to
consult on widening the Law to more public bodies.
The FOI Law was enacted to promote transparency and accountability by granting the public a
legal right to access information held by Scheduled Public Authorities (known as SPAs) in
Jersey. Its purpose is to ensure that decisions taken by government bodies can be scrutinized
and understood, thereby enhancing public trust in the democratic process.
Speaking ahead of the consultation, Assistant Chief Minister, Deputy Malcolm Ferey, said: “I
would like to consult with the public and local organisations to understand their views.
“While the Law has been recognised for improving openness, it has also faced criticism for not
covering all public bodies. The purpose of this consultation, and accompanying review, is to
examine the Law with a view to supporting transparency and promoting a strong 'right to know’
across the public sector, while also managing the cost implications to the public."
gov.je