P&R: no intention of publishing details of claimants receiving lockdown support
POLICY & Resources says it has no intention of publishing information capable of identifying claimants who receive financial support during lockdown.
Since it announced its business support package on 26 January, there has been disquiet about its intentions.
The package includes agreeing that: ‘I understand it remains the intention of the Policy & Resources Committee to publish information of those organisations claiming financial assistance through the scheme’.
Deputy Peter Ferbrache has answered questions about it both in media briefings and in the States.
P&R’s treasury lead Mark Helyar has now said it never said its plan to publish details of individual claims. ‘Tens of millions of pounds of public money are currently being paid out in business support.
‘It is vitally important that these funds go to claimants who need them and that the public, in due course, understand where the money has gone.’
He said there had been confusion and blamed misreporting, particularly on social media.
P&R will ‘retain the right to publish summarised and anonymised information on this significant expenditure of public funds put in place as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic’.
