Privileges and Procedures Committee - 22 September 2021

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PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE (29th Meeting)

22nd September 2021

PART A (Non-Exempt)

All members were present with the exception of Connétable A.S. Crowcroft of St. Helier, from whom apologies had been received.

Deputy C.S. Alves of St. Helier , Chair Senator T.A. Vallois, Vice-Chair Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St. Martin Deputy R. Labey of St. Helier

Deputy M.R. Le Hegarat of St. Helier Deputy G.C.U. Guida of St. Lawrence

In attendance -

Dr. M. Egan, Greffier of the States

L.M. Hart , Deputy Greffier of the States

A. Harris , Principal Committee and Panel Officer

R. Graham, Principal Research and Casework Officer (Items B6 - B8 only)

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

Minutes.  A1. The Minutes of the meetings held by the Committee on 14th July 2021 (Part A),

19th July 2021 (Part A and Part B), 26th July 2021 (Part A), 5th August 2021 (Part A) and 23rd August 2021 (Part A) having previously been circulated, were taken as read and were confirmed.

Forthcoming  A2. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A2 of its meeting of 19th July 2021, business for  considered forthcoming business for debate by the Assembly at its meetings on 5th debate by the  October 2021 and 2nd November 2021. The Committee decided that it did not wish to Assembly.  make a formal comment on any of the propositions which had been lodged au Greffe'

for debate on those days.

Update on the  A3. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A3 of its meeting of 19th July 2021, work of the  received  and  considered  a  paper  by  the  Principal  Committee  and  Panel  Officer Sub- regarding an update on the work of the Sub-Committees. The Committee noted the Committees.  following updates:

Election Observers Sub-Committee – the Committee recalled that the Proposition entitled Draft Elections (Miscellaneous Amendments) Law 201-' (P.56/2021) and a number  of  changes  to Standing  Orders  of  the  States  of  Jersey  (P.66/2021)  were approved by the States Assembly on 20th July 2021.

Political Awareness Education Sub-Committee  – the Committee noted  that  the Deputy Greffier of the States and Head of Digital and Public Engagement were moving on with non-Member centric elements of the political awareness work prior to the 2022 elections. This included a number of activities organised for Democracy Week which

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would run from 27th September to 1st October 2021.

In terms of the work around encouraging young people to vote, the Deputy Greffier explained that the long-term objective was to place political education on the school curriculum. The Chair expressed her desire to be involved in this work and it was agreed that the matter should form part of a legacy report on the work of the Committee.

States Members' Pensions Sub-Committee – the Committee noted that there were no new updates.

Diversity Forum Sub-Committee – the Committee noted that the Diversity Forum had contacted the Democratic Accountability and Governance Sub-Committee regarding its strategic plan for 2020-22 which had focused on improving the diversity of candidates for election. The Forum considered that a number of recommendations fell within the remit of the Sub-Committee and asked whether Members would support the requisite Standing Order changes ahead of the election.

The Forum was due to meet on 12th October 2021 to discuss the introduction of a 'behaviour code' for States Members, which would enable accusations of bullying or harassment by Members to be dealt with more effectively. The Forum would be joined by Hon. Maryse Gaudreault, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Quebec to discuss the issue.

Democratic Accountability and Governance Sub-Committee – the Committee noted that the Sub-Committee had met on 5th August 2021 and discussed the Diversity Forum's suggestions relating to positions in the Assembly. The Sub-Committee had questioned how practical they would be to implement, particularly when the ratio between male and female States Members was unbalanced.

The Sub-Committee was due to meet at the end of September to discuss the findings from its review. It was anticipated that a findings report would be submitted to the Committee shortly thereafter.

Meetings of A4. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A1 of 25th September 2020, the States in recalled that, in accordance with Standing Order 4 of the Standing Orders of the States 2022. of Jersey, it was required to present to the States, no later than the end of September

each year, a list of days for meetings of the States for the 1st and 2nd sessions in the following year.

The Committee recalled that the States Assembly had adopted States Meetings in 2021: Move to a Three weekly cycle' (P.74/2021) at its meeting on 15th September 2021. In accordance with the dates set out in P.74/2021, the Committee received the meeting dates for 2022 as follows:

First Session

Continuation (if necessary)

Tuesday January 18th January 19th, 20th and 21st Tuesday February 8th February 9th, 10th and 11th

Tuesday March 1st March 2nd, 3rd and 4th

Monday 14th March Island Plan debate

(continuation if required, March 15th, 16th, 17th

18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th)

Tuesday March 29th March 31st, April 1st and 2nd

Tuesday April 26th April 27th, 28th and 29th

Monday May 9th Liberation Day meeting

29th Meeting 22.09.21

First Session - New States Assembly

Tuesday July 5th  election of Chief Minister

Monday July 11th  election of Ministers and Scrutiny Chairs

(continuation, if required, Tuesday 12th July) Tuesday July 19th  election of Scrutiny Panels and Committee members

(continuation, if required, July 20th and 21st)

Second Session

Continuation (if necessary) Tuesday September 13th  September 14th, 15th and 16th Tuesday October 4th  October 5th, 6th and 7th Tuesday November 1st   November 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesday November 22nd  November 23rd, 24th and 25th Tuesday December 13th December 14th, 15th and 16th

Senator T.A Vallois suggested that the final sitting of the current Assembly (26th April 2022) should start on Monday 25th April in the afternoon given the volume of business that was likely to be debated. The Committee agreed and requested the Principal Committee and Panel Officer to arrange for the States meeting dates for 2022 to be presented to the States once the changes had been made.