Documents setting out the establishment of the ECCU from External Relations

​​​Request 735375925

Please can you provide copies of any documents setting out the legal basis for the establishment of the ECCU and for vesting in the ECCU legal jurisdiction for carrying out criminal investigations, which is otherwise the responsibility of the States of Jersey Police (SOJP).

It is thought likely that: (a) the Department for the Economy; (b) Justice and Home Affairs; and (c) the States of Jersey Police, should have relevant information.

There is a clear public interest in such information being released, not least because of the considerable amount of public funds spent on (and by) the ECCU.

Response

The Ministry of External Relations does hold information in respect of the above request. However, due to the length of time and cost limit of gathering the information that has been requested, Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been found to apply.

Article applied

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations. 

(2) Despite paragraph (1), a scheduled public authority may still supply the information requested on payment to it of a fee determined by the authority in the manner prescribed by Regulations for the purposes of this Article.

(3) Regulations may provide that, in such circumstances as the Regulations prescribe, if two or more requests for information are made to a scheduled public authority –

(a) by one person; or

(b) by different persons who appear to the scheduled public authority to be acting in concert or in pursuance of a campaign, the estimated cost of complying with any of the requests is to be taken to be the estimated total cost of complying with all of them.​​​​