Jersey States to spend £1.75m on Brexit planning team

Jersey's States will spend £1.75 million for a specialist team to deal with the impact of Brexit.

The planning unit, which will be part of the The Ministry of External Relations, will be used in negotiations with the UK and Europe.

The Treasury Department says the team is necessary for Jersey to react to the changes and opportunities that may arise from the UK leaving the European Union.

The funding will run over a three year period, with the team initially consisting of up to seven individuals.

Alan Maclean, Treasury Minister, says the planning unit will be made up of lawyers and individuals capable of dealing with different sectors of government and the finance industry.

He added the island faces a lot of uncertainty ahead, but the specific issues will only be clear after the UK triggers Article 50, which is expected to be sometime in the next year.

The funds will be drawn from the Economic and Productivity Growth Drawdown Provision (EPGDP).

It comes along with two other allocation of funds, including £324,000 to respond to the introduction of new EU data protection regulation in 2018.

A further £107,000 will help to further develop on-Island digital businesses and skills.