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Machinery of Government: establishment of Ministerial Boards and revised system of Scrutiny (P.120/2010) – comments.

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STATES OF JERSEY

MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT: ESTABLISHMENT OF MINISTERIAL BOARDS AND REVISED SYSTEM OF SCRUTINY (P.120/2010) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 22nd September 2010 by the Privileges and Procedures Committee

STATES GREFFE

2010   Price code: A  P.120 Com.

COMMENTS

The Privileges and Procedures Committee (PPC) supports the proposition of Senator A. Breckon. As indicated in his report, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of PPC were part of a working party that reviewed the Senator's original proposals (P.70/2010) and developed them into this revised proposition.

The  Committee  is  aware  that  some  concern  has  been  expressed  regarding  the effectiveness  of  the  proposed  Ministerial  Boards  under  the  revised  system.  PPC believes that the Boards can be made to function effectively provided that Ministers are willing to engage in a meaningful and constructive way with all Board members. PPC also believes that, in addition to being a forum for discussion and consultation, Boards can provide members with the opportunity to participate in executive decision- making due to the provision of delegated powers from Ministers to Board members. This approach has been seen to be effective in the Isle of Man, and the Committee is content that, if adopted, it will ensure greater political engagement for all members and  overcome  the  concerns  of  many  members  that  the  present  system  is  not sufficiently inclusive.

Senator Breckon's proposition is the culmination of a series of projects which have sought to examine the function of the machinery of government in Jersey. PPC wishes to acknowledge the work which has been carried out by members and officers in this regard in the past year. The Committee is grateful to the members of the States Business Organisation Sub-Group, comprising the Vice-Chairman of PPC, the Deputy of   St. Peter  and  Deputies  J.B. Fox  and  M.R. Higgins  of   St. Helier ,  which  was established by PPC and made the initial recommendation that a more wide-ranging review should be carried out. The Committee is also grateful to Deputy J.B. Fox and the Connétable of St. Peter , who addressed the Committee with regard to the function of  ministerial  government  in  the  Isle  of  Man  following  research  that  they  had undertaken during a regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in that island. PPC also wishes to place on record its thanks to the officers of the States Greffe and the Chief Minister's Department who supported the working party in its review of Senator Breckon's original proposition (P.70/2010).

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P.120/2010 Com.