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Privileges and Procedures Committee - 23 February 2021

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PRIVILEGES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE (1st Meeting)

23rd February 2021

Meeting conducted via Microsoft Teams PART A (Non-Exempt)

All members were present, with the exception of Deputy M.R. Le Hegarat of St. Helier, from whom apologies had been received.

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

W. Millow , Assistant Greffier (Chamber and Members' Support)

K. Boydens , Principal Committee and Panel Officer

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

Minutes  A1. The Minutes of the meetings held by the Committee, as previously constituted,

on 3rd December 2020 (Part A), 13th January 2021 (Part A), 18th January 2021 (Part A and Part B) and 2nd February 2021 (Part A) having previously been circulated, were taken as read and were confirmed.

Vice-Chair:  A2. The Committee unanimously agreed to appoint Senator T.A. Vallois Vice- Appointment  Chair of the Privileges and Procedures Committee.

Forthcoming  A3. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A2 of 18th January 2021, of the business for  Committee as previously constituted, considered forthcoming business for debate debate by the  by the States Assembly.

States

Assembly.  The Committee noted a Proposition lodged by the Chief Minister entitled Migration

Control Policy' (P.137/2020) was scheduled for debate on 3rd March 2021. The Committee further noted that an amendment to the Proposition had been lodged by the Migration and Population Scrutiny Review Panel on 16th February 2021. The Panel's amendment requested that the Chair and other members of the independent, statutory, expert panel, due to be formed to advise on population matters, were appointed by the States Assembly via a Proposition from the Chief Minister.

The Committee recalled that a previous Privileges and Procedures Committee had initiated a legislative change through the States of Jersey (Appointment Procedure) (Jersey) Law 2018 whereby a Minister, body or person responsible for making an appointment would present a report to the States setting out the details of a proposed nomination, rather than lodging a Proposition for debate. The previous Committee had noted concerns raised by States Members, with some feeling as though they had

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no realistic alternative but to approve nominations, particularly if they had been made  in  accordance  with  the  process  set  out  by  the  Jersey  Appointments Commission.

The Committee agreed that, if approved, the Panel's amendment would take the States back into an unsatisfactory process of appointments' approval. On a related matter, Senator T.A. Vallois raised concerns about how independent panels and boards  were  established  across  the  States  of  Jersey  and  suggested  that  the governance arrangements should be reviewed. The Committee agreed to provide Comments on these matters.

Establishment  A4. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. B2 of 5th October 2020, of the of a Sub- Committee as previously constituted, agreed to establish a Sub-Committee to review Committee on  the accountability of  Government to the public and the  States  Assembly. The Democratic  Committee considered draft Terms of Reference for the work and agreed that they Accountability  should be circulated to all States Members so that expressions of interest could be and  sought.

Governance

The Committee agreed that the Sub-Committee would be supported by staff from the States Greffe.