Locate Jersey data (FOI)

Request

Can you please supply:  

A

The costs of running 'Locate Jersey', department, staff and overheads for each year from 2015 to date?  

B

The number of staff employed by Locate Jersey and their location, whether in Jersey, the UK or elsewhere?  

C

Re 2(1)(e)s, the total level of personal income tax and stamp duty gained over the same period. Stated yearly as above?  

D

The number of residents admitted under this scheme during each individual year?  

E

The number and value of properties purchased by those same residents, whether for their primary residence or for investment purposes? 

Response

A 

‘Locate Jersey’ is a brand used by the Government of Jersey for the purpose of promoting Jersey for inward investment and as a place to do business. It is not an Arm’s Length Body, or independent organisation. Activity to undertake the promotion of Jersey for inward investment and as a place to do business is part of the job role of employees within the Department for the Economy.

Please see Table 1 below. Note these figures do not include staff costs as staff are not working solely on the brand ‘Locate Jersey’.

B

Please see response to A. All current and past Government of Jersey employees who fulfil tasks associated with the brand ‘Locate Jersey’ live in Jersey. 

C

Information as to the level of personal income tax paid by High Value Residents (HVRs) is publicly available on the States Assembly website and is therefore exempt under Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011. Please see the following link:

WQ.160/2022

The figures in Table 2 below include both main residences and investment properties, although it should be noted that there are very few investment properties. A breakdown as to whether these properties purchased are for a HVRs’ primary residence or for investment purposes is not held. Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011therefore applies.

D 

The figures in Table 3 below show the number of HVR applications approved during the year. It does not reflect the number of individuals arriving in Jersey, as not all approved applicants took up residence.

These numbers also do not reflect the number of HVRs currently on the island, as individuals have left the island, left the HVR scheme or passed away. 

E

Please see Table 2 and response C.

Tables 1 to 3.pdf

Articles applied 

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.

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.