Wednesday 08 January 2020
The Committee for Home Affairs designed the changes to reduce the hurdle - perceived or otherwise - faced by States Committees or Boards when providing data to the Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC).
These new regulations allow for the personal data of individuals - known in law as "data subjects" - to be provided by committees to the SMC, on the basis SMC undertakes not to publish the data without the data subject's consent.
The new measures do not compel any Committee to provide relevant personal information in un-redacted form, but do provide a clearer legal framework to support committees who choose to do so.
Committee for Home Affairs President Deputy Mary Lowe said:
"The Committee was aware of the difficulties committees could face in having to balance their efforts to be fully open with the need for due considerations about the disclosure of personal data of individuals who have not given their consent. This clearer legal framework will assist SMC and other Committees. We are happy to make these changes."
Should SMC gain more legally defined powers, it could remove the need for these latest regulations.
The regulations apply from now and can be applied to any current SMC review.