DISCLOSURES by the Telegraph about the extent and potential for massive loss of sensitive personal data under a proposed Government eBorders clampdown have highlighted how economical Treasury and Resources has been with its justification for spending £1m. for Guernsey to comply with it.

The lack of transparency in its Billet d’Etat capital prioritisation report is doubly worrying because it fails to make a case for spending the cash and also fails to explain the scope of what it coyly terms an IT system.

In addition, the brief explanation, which gives no detail but says is essential, claims that ‘the most significant modernisation of the Bailiwick’s border protection and immigration system’ will not require any extra staff to operate it or cost any more on a daily basis.

Given the number of detailed travel plans that have to be monitored and stored for 10 years, that seems surprising.

The Home Department minister was not available over the weekend to provide fuller details but given the high level of vetting all States capital projects have received from T&R, it must have been aware of the controversial nature of the eBorders scheme.

Cynics might say that is precisely why they were omitted from the Billet.

After the States had approved the project in principle, then the detail could emerge at a later date with every expectation that it would be too late for members to challenge it.

Many years ago, the then Board of Administration was infamous for what it did not put into reports. What was left out made it easier to win over the House. Members quickly learned to question every aspect of policy from the board, but it was not a helpful approach.

Today, it is clear that old habits persist alongside government’s slowness to embrace freedom of information.

eBorders might well be justified – if only because it would allow Housing to know how many licences are actually being used at any one time – but it should stand or fall on the strength of the case to be made for it.

Trying to slip it through with a welter of other projects simply looks shabby.

And it does nothing to instil confidence in the openness of government.