Skip to main content

Privileges and Procedures Committee 20th January 2020

This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost. Let us know if you find any major problems.

Text in this format is not official and should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.

206

KS/MH/036

PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE (57th Meeting)

20th January 2020

PART A (Non-Exempt)

All members were present, with the exception of Connétable A.S. Crowcroft of St. Helier , Deputy J.M. Maçon of St. Saviour and Deputy J.H. Perchard of St. Saviour , from whom apologies had been received.

Deputy R. Labey of St. Helier , Chairman Connétable C. H. Taylor of St. John Deputy M.R. Le Hegarat of St. Helier Deputy C.S. Alves of St. Helier

In attendance -

Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade (in attendance for item B1 only) Dr. M. Egan, Greffier of the States

L.M. Hart , Deputy Greffier of the States

K.L. Slack, Principal Committee and Panel Officer

Note: The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A and Part B.

Minutes. A1. The Minutes of the meeting held on 9th December 2019 (Part A and Part B),

having previously been circulated, were taken as read and were confirmed.

Forthcoming A2. The Committee received a list of forthcoming business for debate by the States business for Assembly at its meetings to be held on 21st January, 4th February and 25th February debate by the 2020.

States

Assembly. It was noted that Deputy I. Gardiner of St. Helier intended to withdraw section (c) of 465/1(210) her Proposition entitled, Policy Development Boards' (P.122/2019 referred), which

had required the Committee to bring forward amendments to the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey to permit States Members to ask questions of the Chairs of Policy Development Boards and to enable the latter to make official statements to the Assembly. The Committee was informed that Deputy Gardiner intended to have further conversations with the Chief Minister and the Chair of the Committee in this respect. The Committee discussed its views of Policy Development Boards and felt that whilst they afforded backbench members the opportunity to become involved in the formulation of policy, they did restrict the number able to participate in the Scrutiny function, which was problematic at a time when the Scrutiny Panels felt under resourced.

The Committee's attention was drawn to the Proposition of the Minister for the Environment, P.127/2019, entitled Carbon Neutral Strategy 2019', which was due to be debated on 25th February 2020. Section (b) thereof asked the Assembly to agree the establishment of a citizens' assembly, as laid out in Appendix 3 to the Report accompanying the projet. It was noted that it was proposed that the citizens' assembly should be supported by a clerk, appointed by the States Greffe. The Greffier notified the Committee that if P.127/2019 was adopted, he had agreed that the Greffe would

207

57th Meeting 20.01.20

provide the necessary support, to ensure the independence of the citizens' assembly. He anticipated that additional resources would be required to either appoint a clerk, or to backfill a position, should an existing member of staff take on the role. He did not envisage that the adoption of the Proposition would have any adverse effect on the States Greffe.

The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was instructed to circulate Appendix 3 of P.127/2019 to the members of the Committee for their information.