PPC Diversity Forum (A) - 6 June 2023

Privileges and Procedures Committee (5th Meeting)

6th June 2023

Part A

All members were present with the exception of Connétable M. O’D Troy of St. Clement , Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St Martin, Deputy P.F.C Ozouf of St Saviour, Deputy M.R. Scott of St Brelade and Deputy I. Gardiner of St Helier from whom apologies had been received.

Deputy C.S. Alves of St Helier, Chair

Connétable M.A. Labey of Grouville

Deputy L.M.C Doublet of St Saviour

Deputy R.L. Kovacs of St Saviour

Deputy H.L. Jeune of St John, St Lawrence and Trinity Deputy M.B. Andrews of St Helier

In attendance -

K. Boydens , Principal Committee and Panel Officer

J. Hales , Research and Project Officer Dr J. Smith, Lecturer in Politics (Item A2)

Note:  The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A.

Minutes.  A1. The Sub-Committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 8th March 2023.

Effective and  A2. The Sub-Committee welcomed Dr J. Smith, author of Effective and Inclusive Inclusive  Parliaments for a meeting to discuss the report’s recommendations. Dr Smith explained Parliaments –  that she had authored the report for the British Islands and Mediterranean Region of the meeting with  Commonwealth  Parliamentary  Association  (CPA  BIMR).  The  report  addressed Dr Jessica  equality  of  participation  and  representation  within  the  region’s  parliaments  and Smith.  documented the current state of play regarding gender-sensitive practices in institutions

across BIMR.

Dr Smith’s report made 21 recommendations in total, and the Sub-Committee discussed how the States Assembly could apply some (or all) of them to its working practices. In relation to recommendation 21:

All BIMR Institutions who had not undertaken a Gender Audit in the last 3 years to initiate an Audit using the CPA 2020 Guidelines and Checklist

It was noted that a Gender Audit had been published in 2019 by the previous Diversity Forum. Dr Smith encouraged the Sub-Committee to undertake a follow-up audit during its term of office. The Sub-Committee agreed and requested the Principal Committee and Panel Officer to include a follow-up gender audit on its work programme.

Dr Smith explained that embedding gender sensitivity into every day practices was important  as  was  the  collection  of  data.  Data  collection  would  enable  the  Sub- Committee to review and monitor trends which could highlight key areas to initiate change. As well as gender issues, Dr Smith explained that other inclusion and diversity matters such as disability and accessibility was important.

The Sub-Committee thanked Dr Smith for her time, and she withdrew from the meeting.

Diversity  A3. The Sub-Committee considered a paper on the previous Diversity Forum’s legacy Forum Legacy  report under a Red-Amber-Green rated system. In relation to the first action, the Sub- Report – Red- Committee agreed that the introduction of role descriptions for Assembly roles was a Amber-Green  high priority. In that regard, the Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised that the table.  Privileges and Procedures Committee was due to establish a Machinery of Government

Sub-Committee which could take this action forward.

In relation to the action on ensuring that all committees and panels contained at least one man and one woman, it was agreed that the Chair would discuss this with the Scrutiny Liaison Committee at a future meeting. The Research and Project Officer was tasked to make the necessary arrangements.

The Sub-Committee requested that the RAG table was reconfigured to show priority actions at the top. It also requested that another column was inserted to set out timelines for achieving each action. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was tasked to make the necessary changes.

The  A4. The Sub-Committee received a paper on the introduction of proxy voting in the introduction of  States Assembly. The Sub-Committee agreed to defer the discussion until the next Proxy voting. meeting.

Committee and  A5. The Sub-Committee received a paper which provided statistics on the gender Panel gender  balance of Assembly Committees and Panels. The Sub-Committee agreed that this balance –  matter would be discussed with the Scrutiny Liaison Committee in due course. statistics.

Attitudes  A6. The Sub-Committee noted a number of recent media articles regarding migrants towards  coming to live and work in Jersey. Deputy Kovacs had raised the matter as there had migrants.  been some negative attitudes towards migrants, many of whom faced a number of

challenges, particularly those without qualifications for housing, when moving to Jersey. Deputy Kovacs suggested that the local media was invited to develop a code of how they reported on diversity and inclusion in the island. The Sub-Committee agreed that this matter strayed outside of its remit.

States  A7. The Sub-Committee noted that the Privileges and Procedures Committee had Assembly  lodged a proposition which proposed enabling members to participate remotely during Business.  States meetings (P.21/2023). Although the proposition had been referred back to the

Committee and then later withdrawn, the Sub-Committee agreed that these types of propositions should be referred to it in the first instance. In that regard, the Sub- Committee requested that the Committee consult with the Sub-Committee before a revised proposition was lodged. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was tasked to make the necessary arrangements.

On a related matter, the Sub-Committee requested that States Assembly business was added as a permanent item on its future agendas. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer was tasked to make the necessary arrangements.

In terms of the next States meeting due to take place on 13th June 2023, the Sub- Committee noted that Deputy Max Andrews had lodged a proposition which proposed a breakdown of gender pay statistics (P.31/2023). The Sub-Committee requested that a Comments paper was drafted which outlined the Sub-Committee’s support of the proposition. As a member of the Sub-Committee, it was agreed that Deputy Andrews would not partake in the drafting of the Comments or the approval process. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised that a Comments paper would be circulated for approval in due course, noting the deadline for presentation was 12 noon on 9th June 2023.

Matters raised  A8.  The  Sub-Committee  requested  that  a  table  was  produced  which  provided  a under AOB.  summary of the work being undertaken by Committees and Panels. This would include

relevant links to documents and press notices. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer explained that this type of document would require co-ordination across the States Greffe team and advised that she would discuss the matter with the Greffier and Deputy Greffier in the first instance. It was also advised that the matter would need to be discussed with the main Privileges and Procedures Committee as it fell more within its remit.

Future  A9. The Sub-Committee noted that its next meeting was due to take place on 11th July Meetings.  2023 at 2pm in the Blampied room.