Travel and Expenses policy for States members (FOI)

​Request 715306599

Does the Government of Jersey have a Travel and Expenses policy for states members?

Can you please provide each Travel and Expenses policy (or equivalent) that is in place for all states members

Response

The Government of Jersey Policy for Travel is included within the Public Finances Manual, available at the following link –

https://www.gov.je/government/planningperformance/publicfinances/pages/publicfinancemanual.aspx#ExpenditureTravel​

The sections specific to States Members are provided below –

28. Travel by Minister or Assistant Ministers

Arrangements for Ministers and Assistant Ministers are set out in the “Codes of Conduct & Practice for Ministers and Assistant Ministers” published as R.31/2024. Ministers and Assistant Ministers are expected to be satisfied that the costs they incur on travel and expenses can reasonably be justified in public as being efficient and cost effective and are required for and related to their ministerial office. In achieving this, they should seek to incur costs as part of an advance booking, using corporate arrangements wherever appropriate or practical in the circumstances. They must also be satisfied with the arrangements made on their behalf and the expenses they look to claim afterwards.

If an expense being claimed could be considered inappropriate, Ministers and Assistant Ministers may be asked to either repay the expense personally or issue a formal internal note that the Public should pay the expense and the reasons why. A copy of this shall be provided to the Chief Minister and Chief Executive Officer.

29. Travel by other States Members

Whilst States Members who are not Ministers or Assistant Ministers are technically not bound by this section of the manual, the Greffier of the States, as Accountable Officer for their expenditure on travel, must be satisfied that expenditure does not compromise that individual’s legal obligations for ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money. The Greffier is therefore able to challenge arrangements and claims at their discretion. 

This response has been issued on behalf of the States Greffe. The States Greffe is responsible for the information held by (and on behalf of) both itself and the States Assembly.  Neither the States Assembly nor the States Greffe form part of the Government of Jersey and the Government was not involved either in the examination and retrieval of any information required for this response, nor in the drafting of the response itself.​