Privileges and Procedures Committee - 21 November 2022

Privileges and Procedures Committee (7th Meeting)

21st November 2022

Part A

All members were present.

Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St Martin

Deputy M.R. Le Hegarat of St Helier

Deputy L.J Farnham of St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter Deputy C.A. Alves of St Helier

Deputy L.K.F Stephenson of St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter Deputy M.R. Ferey of St Saviour (Items A7 – A8 only)

In attendance -

Ms L. Hart , Greffier of the States

Mr W. Millow , Deputy Greffier of the States

Ms K. Boydens , Principal Committee and Panel Officer Ms K. Camara, Research and Project Officer

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

Minutes.  A1. The Minutes of the meetings held on 17th October 2022 (Part A and Part B) and

3rd November 2022 (Part B) had previously been circulated. As the Committee had not had time to fully read the Minutes, it was agreed that approval would be provided after the meeting via Microsoft Teams.

Forthcoming  A2. The Committee considered forthcoming business for debate by the Assembly at its business for  meeting on 22nd November 2022. The Committee decided that it did not wish to make debate by the  a formal comment on any of the Propositions which had been lodged au Greffe' for States  debate on that day.

Assembly.

The Committee noted that the Assembly was due to debate the Government Plan 2023 – 2026 at its meeting on 12th December 2022, the scale of which might require the Assembly to shorten its lunch breaks and extend the meetings until 6pm each day. The Chair agreed that she would raise this matter under Arrangement of Public Business' at the meeting on 22nd November 2022.

Post-Politics  A3. The Committee received and considered a paper from the Principal Committee and Support  Panel Officer regarding support for former States Members when they left the political arena. The Committee was advised that in August 2022, a group of States Members had

attended the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Canada, during which a research team from Australia had made a presentation about the difficulties of transitioning to life after parliament. Deputy M.E. Millar of St. John , St. Lawrence and Trinity , who had attended the CPC, had written to the Greffier of the States shortly after the trip asking whether the Committee could consider the report in the Jersey context.

In terms of the findings of the report, the Principal Committee and Panel Officer explained that the research had started in 2018 when the Executive of the Victorian Parliament Former Members Association (VPFMA) had approached former Members

7th Meeting 21.11.2022

of Parliament who had lost their seats or retired after the 2014 and 2018 Elections. The feedback received had prompted the VPFMA to commission Deakin University in 2020 to produce a report. The Committee noted the key findings as follows:

1. All Members of Parliament (MP) experienced challenges leaving Parliament.
2. Most MPs who had left Parliament unimpededly did not plan for their departure.
3. A lack of planning exacerbated post-parliamentary challenges.
4. Frequently there was an irretrievable loss of identity, status and purpose.
5. There was a feeling of betrayal by the community.
6. Relationship breakdown was common.
7. Financial stress was common.
8. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), exhaustion, agoraphobia and alcohol abuse were all experienced to varying degrees.
9. During their career, MPs developed a broad set of skills that were not well- understood by the public, potential employers and recruitment agencies.
10. While all former MPs suffered in the employment market because of their previous political career, many female former MPs found it even more difficult to find meaningful, paid employment.
11. Executive recruitment agencies were unhelpful.

The Principal Committee and Panel Officer explained that, although the report provided several recommendations which were specific to the Victorian Parliament, consideration could be given as to whether any of them could be applied in Jersey in addition to support already provided.

The Committee was reminded that after the 2022 elections, a loss of office' compensation policy had been implemented in line with recommendations of the former States Members' Remuneration Review Body 2019. Members who had stood but failed to secure re-election had received compensation based on Jersey's statutory redundancy framework, set at one month's basic remuneration per 4 years' continuous service. The Committee was also advised that the Members' Resources Team at the States Greffe had provided an information sheet to assist retiring members with administrative queries which included, amongst other things, information on pensions and salary.

The Committee noted the current support package available and discussed other ways of providing support to former Members based on the recommendations made by Deakin University. In addition, the Committee also considered mentoring' which had been discussed during the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference, hosted by the Falkland Islands in 2020.

The Committee agreed that a research project should be undertaken in order to obtain former States Members' views on life after politics and to identify any challenges. The Committee requested that a survey be drafted which would help inform any future support packages. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was requested to make the necessary arrangements.

Compliance A4. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. B7 of 22nd September 2021, of the with States Committee as previously constituted, received and considered a paper by the Principal decisions. Committee and Panel Officer in relation to compliance with States' decisions. The

Committee was advised that a States' decision log ('tracker') of all non-Ministerial Propositions had been developed by the Members Resources Team. The intention of the tracker was to make it easier for Members and the media to question Ministers about implementation and to scrutinise the reasons given for any delay.

7th Meeting 21.11.2022

The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised the Committee that, in October 2022, Deputy S.Y. Mézec of St. Helier South had submitted a written question asking whether  consideration  would  be  given  to  bringing  forward  proposals  to  require Ministers to give statements during States meetings when the terms of a Proposition agreed by the Assembly would not be met. Deputy Mézec believed that this provision would ensure that Members were officially advised that their decision would not be implemented and would enable them to ask questions to hold the relevant Minister to account.

The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised that Deputy Mézec 's suggestion could be considered alongside the development of the tracker as the two matters were interrelated. Although a draft tracker existed, there had been challenges around its format, where it would be held and how responses would be collated. This had led to the current prototype resembling a record of decisions more than a live tracker on which the Government reflected its positions.

The Committee agreed that the implementation of a tracker would be beneficial in monitoring the status of States' decisions. The Committee was also supportive of Deputy Mézec 's suggestion that statements should be made when the terms of a proposition agreed by the Assembly would not be met. The Committee agreed in the first instance to draft a letter to the Chief Minister inviting a discussion about the use of a tracker and to find a resolution on the challenges around its format. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was requested to take the necessary action.

States Greffe  A5. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A9 of its meeting of 17th October budget.  2022, received and considered a paper on the States Greffe's budget.

The Committee recalled that it had requested further financial details regarding the administration of the Department following its consideration of the paper entitled What is the States Greffe?' at its meeting in October. The Committee noted the paper accordingly and agreed that any questions arising therefrom could be raised at a subsequent meeting.

Briefings for  A6. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A10 of its meeting of 12th September States  2022,  received  and  considered  guidance  on  Briefings  for  States  Members'.  The Members.  Committee requested that the guidance include a procedure for briefings to be recorded

so that Members who were unable to attend could still obtain the information. The Committee also requested the inclusion of a reference to the need for Members to be respectful towards those presenting briefings. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was tasked to make the necessary arrangements and to recirculate the guidance for the Committee's approval.

Constituency  A7. The Committee, with reference to Minute A5 of its meeting of 12th September Offices.  2022, received and considered a paper prepared by the Deputy Greffier of the States

regarding an update on the establishment of constituency offices.

The  Committee  recalled  that  there  had  been  some  challenges  relating  to  the establishment of constituency offices, particularly as their establishment had been a Government  objective  despite  the  provision  of  facilities  falling  within  the responsibilities of the Committee.

The Deputy Greffier asked the Committee to consider whether the establishment of a dedicated Sub-Committee would be beneficial. Such a Sub-Committee could involve those Members with a direct interest in the delivery of constituency offices and thereby

7th Meeting 21.11.2022

would ensure coordination across the different institutions of the States Assembly, the Government and the Parishes. The Deputy Greffier explained that, from an operational perspective, having coordinated political oversight would be beneficial for ultimate delivery of the project.

The Committee discussed the matter and agreed to establish a dedicated Sub-Committee with the following Terms of Reference:

1. to  identify  the  resourcing  requirements  (including  venues,  staffing  and equipment) in order to establish, or embed, a constituency office in each constituency (or, where the constituency comprises more than one Parish, in each Parish of that constituency);
2. to  consider  how  the  provision  of  constituency  offices  sits  alongside  the provision of central facilities in Town for States Members; and
3. to report back to the Privileges and Procedures Committee with findings and recommendations for the establishment or embedding of constituency offices in time for any recommendations to be considered during the preparation of the Government Plan 2024-2027.

In terms of membership, the Committee suggested that one representative from each constituency should sit on the Sub-Committee. Deputy C.A. Alves of St. Helier Central expressed an interest in chairing the Sub-Committee and Connétable K. Stone of St. Martin and Deputy L.K.F Stephenson of St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter volunteered to represent their respective constituencies The Committee requested the Principal Committee and Panel Officer to circulate an email to all States Members informing them  about  the  Sub-Committee  and  asking  for  expressions  of  interest  from  the remaining 6 constituencies.

Late  A8. The Committee noted that there had been several occasions where Comments from presentation of  the Executive on non-Executive Propositions had been presented late to the Assembly. Comments –

Standing Order  The Committee noted that, under Standing Order 37A of the States of Jersey, if 37A  Comments were provided to the Greffier after noon on the penultimate working day

before the debate, that Comment had to also include a statement providing the reasons why it had been submitted after the deadline.

The Committee requested the Principal Committee and Panel Officer to assess how many times during 2022 Comments had been subject to this Standing Order. In addition, the Chair agreed that she would raise this matter with all States Members by email and would advise that the Committee would be monitoring the situation until the 2023 summer recess, with a view to making changes to Standing Order 37A to ensure a more punctual approach was adopted in relation to the submission of Comments.