Common Strategic Policy 2026 – 2030 (P.75/2026): tenth amendment (P.75/2026 Amd.(10)) – comments
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2026 P.75 Amd.(10) Com.
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REPORT
The Council of Ministers does not support this amendment but is sympathetic to the underlying principles, namely that public money must be spent responsibly and that appropriate transparency should accompany Government support schemes.
This amendment is rejected by the Council of Ministers because it seeks to establish a blanket commitment within the Common Strategic Policy that is overly prescriptive, fails to recognise legitimate confidentiality considerations, duplicates existing mechanisms through which Government expenditure and business support schemes are scrutinised and reported, and creates additional costs which will outweigh any potential benefits.
The Public Finances Manual exists to ensure public money is spent prudently, and the Government operates within a framework of accountability that provides significant oversight for public expenditure.
The Council of Ministers remains committed to the principles of transparency and responsible use of public money.
Any provision of new financial support for businesses would be subject to ministerial consideration and approval, scrutiny by the relevant Panel and States Assembly, audit arrangements and, where appropriate, publication through reports. Additionally, Ministers remain accountable to the States Assembly for expenditure within their portfolio.
The Council of Ministers does not consider it necessary to embed an additional, wide- ranging commitment to publication in this way as part of the Common Strategic Policy.
The Government believes that arrangements should be determined at the design and approval stage of specific programmes rather than through a broad strategic commitment in the Common Strategic Policy. This will ensure that monitoring remains proportionate and specific to the circumstances for which it is required.
Further, the Council of Ministers does not accept that any economic value would be added from publishing information about individual beneficiaries of support schemes. Information setting out the purpose and intended benefits is already published, for example via the annual Arts, Culture and Heritage Delivery Update or the Delivery Reports for the Better Business Support Package.
For the above reasons the Council of Ministers asks Members to reject this amendment.
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P.75/2026 Amd.(10) Com.