Equality Impact Assessments

WQ.453/2025

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER

BY DEPUTY H.L. JEUNE OF ST. JOHN, ST. LAWRENCE AND TRINITY QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 1st DECEMBER 2025

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 8th DECEMBER 2025

Question

"Further to Oral Question 255/2025 regarding Equality Impact Evaluations, will the Chief Minister –

1. advise when, or if, he intends to address improvements to the Equality Impact Evaluation process, including ensuring it becomes more central to all Council of Ministers' decision – making, and further information on the evaluation tool and process will be published;
2. outline what discussions, if any, have taken places with Ministerial colleagues and Officers, and what decisions, if any, have been made regarding the publication of the results of Equality Impact Evaluations when they are carried out on major policy or legislative proposals, for example the Budget; and
3. detail what training and accountability mechanisms are in place to ensure these assessments are being used effectively across departments?"

Answer

As explained in the Chief Minister's response to Oral Question 255, the Government does not use separate Equality Impact Assessments. Instead, all policy officials across Government use the same Policy Submission Template', which includes a specific section on considering equality issues. The template encourages officials to refer to the Equality Impact Evaluation guidance document for more information or advice on how to complete that section. In relation to the specific questions:

1. There are no current plans to further refine the Equality Impact Evaluation, Policy Submission or training. However, the Evaluation document is now published on the Government's website and the Chief Officer of the Cabinet Office would welcome any specific drafting comments or suggestions for its improvement.
2. It is a positive development that equality considerations are included within the original policy advice to Ministers and balanced alongside economic, environmental and other community related issues. But it also means that it is not possible to separate out the equality considerations for publication. A Policy Submission document itself is generally recognised as exempt from publication (including in our Freedom of Information Law) on the grounds that Governments have a right to a protected space to develop and refine policies before they are made public.
3. The training on the use of the Policy Submission template and Equality Impact Evaluation is included in the Jersey Policy Profession training materials. These training materials are a mix of video, written and practical examples that are available to staff across the public service. In addition, evaluation of equality issues is a core component of the Jersey Policy Profession training, delivered by King's College London. Nevertheless, there can always be improvements, so the Chief Officer of the Cabinet Office has been asked to use the policy profession network to remind all policy officers in the Government of the importance of conducting thorough and effective EIEs.