PPC Minutes - Diversity Forum Sub Committee - 5 September 2023

Privileges and Procedures Committee (6th Meeting)

5th September 2023

Part A

All members were present with the exception of Connétable M. O’D Troy of St. Clement , Deputy H.L. Jeune of St John, St Lawrence and Trinity and Deputy M.B. Andrews of St Helier from whom apologies had been received.

Deputy C.S. Alves of St Helier, Chair Deputy L.M.C Doublet of St Saviour Deputy M.R. Scott of St Brelade Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St Martin Connétable M.A. Labey of Grouville Deputy I. Gardiner of St Helier

Deputy R.L. Kovacs of St Saviour

In attendance -

K. Boydens , Principal Committee and Panel Officer

J. Hales , Research and Project Officer Mr Ian Cope, Chief Statistician (Item A2)

Mr Daniel Edmunds, Principal Statistician (Item A2)

Note:  The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A.

Minutes.  A1. The Sub-Committee approved the minutes of the meetings held on 25th April and

6th June 2023.

Sex  A2. The Sub-Committee welcomed Mr I. Cope, Chief Statistician and Mr D. Edmunds, disaggregated  Principal Statistician to discuss sex disaggregated data.

data -

Presentation  The Chief Statistician informed the Sub-Committee that the presentation included from the Chief  figures based on the 2021 Census however, additional analysis could be made on Statistician  request into any areas within published reports by Statistics Jersey. The Sub-Committee

asked how data requests were prioritised and the Chief Statistician explained that prioritisation was based on significance and importance.

The Sub-Committee was informed that the first Gender Pay Gap report was published in February 2021 which was based on administrative data held by Government. The Sub-Committee was further informed that in March 2023, the Council of Ministers had committed to publishing the Island wide gender pay gap data on an annual basis.

The Chief Statistician informed the Sub-Committee that the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (JOLS) was run annually with a set of standard topics plus periodic questions with input from the States of Jersey Police (SoJP) every 2 years. The Sub Committee was also informed that the Statistics Unit analysed all data by age and sex with topical questions used to support policy and other users. The Chief Statistician informed the Sub-Committee that it was the intention to publish all the sex breakdowns as open data, even where differences were not statistically significant.

The Children and Young Persons Survey was held every 2 years for school years 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 and carried out during term time. The survey contained age appropriate questions  in  topics  such  as  health  and  physical  activity,  wealth,  wellbeing, smoking/drinking/drugs  etc.  The  Sub-Committee  was  informed  that  all  data  was analysed by age and sex but not all such analyses were published. The Sub-Committee was further informed that the results of the Population and Migration data survey, undertaken in June 2021, had recently been published.

The Sub-Committee asked if Statistics Jersey had access to Parish data and was advised that it did not have access at that time however, could request it via data sharing.

The  Sub-Committee  recalled  the  previously  circulated  paper  on  what  the  United Nations (UN) considered gold standard on data collection and asked if this was used by the  Statistics  Unit  for  data  publication  in  Jersey.  The  Paper  used  a  number  of characteristics to define gender statistics including:

• incorporation of a gender perspective into the design of surveys or censuses by taking into account gender issues and avoiding gender biases in measurement;

• improving data analysis and data presentation and delivery of gender statistics in a format that was easy to use by policymakers and planners; and

• ensuring that data collection methods took into account stereotypes and social and cultural factors that may induce gender bias in the data.

The  Chief  Statistician  informed  the  Sub-Committee  that  wording  used  in  other jurisdictions who followed this code was generally adhered to and in addition, it formed part of the training for data analysists within the team. The Sub-Committee went on to ask if there were sensitivity readers within the team and was informed that if any data that arose used relatively new terminology, it would be researched thoroughly before being presented.

The Sub-Committee thanked the Chief Statistician and the Principal Statistician for their time, and they withdrew from the meeting.

Remote  A3. The Sub-Committee considered a paper on remote participation in States meetings Participation in  following  PPC’s  proposition  titled  “Amendment  to  Standing  Orders  –  remote States  participation in states meetings” (P.21/2023) which had subsequently been withdrawn. Meetings.  It was noted that PPC had discussed revised proposals which it intended to incorporate

into a new proposition. Before doing so, however, PPC wished to consult with the Sub- Committee for its views on the matter.

The Sub-Committee agreed with PPC that the proposals should codify the current behavioural and cultural expectations for remote participation, as sought by P.21/2023, by allowing remote participation only for genuine health reasons and not from outside the Island. The Sub-Committee also agreed that States Members should be briefed on the matter before a revised proposition was lodged “au Greffe”.

In  conjunction  with  proposals  for  remote  participation,  the  Sub-Committee  also discussed proxy voting. The Sub-Committee believed that the two matters were linked to one another, therefore, agreed that the briefing to States Members should also include proposals for the introduction of proxy voting. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised that  the Sub-Committee’s views would be fed back to PPC  and arrangements would be made to organise a briefing on both matters.

States  A4. The Sub-Committee discussed a paper recently received by the PPC on the States Members dress  Members dress code. The Sub-Committee noted that whilst the dress code was not code.  specifically stated within Standing Orders, there was a long-established convention that

men should wear jackets and ties (and could not remove their jackets) and women should dress more formally i.e. ‘business attire’.

The Sub-Committee agreed that the dress code should be amended to “office attire” which would cover both men and women. The Sub-Committee also agreed that, in order for jackets to be removed, there should be no need for a proposition or vote on the matter.

It was agreed that the Sub-Committee would suggest to PPC that a letter was sent to the Bailiff to ascertain if he was in agreement with the proposals. If the Bailiff agreed, the Sub-Committee believed that the new dress guidance should be included within the handbook for new States Members and in the induction programme.

Diversity  A5. The Sub-Committee agreed this would be deferred to its next scheduled meeting. Forum’s

Legacy Report

Introduction of  A6. The Sub-Committee noted that this had been discussed under item A3, remote proxy voting  participation in States meetings.

Gender  A7. The Sub-Committee agreed that statistics on gender balance of Committee and balance of  Panels would be included as an appendix in the States Assembly annual report. Committees

and Panels.

Forthcoming  A8. The Sub-Committee noted the upcoming propositions lodged for debate at the next propositions of  States sitting.

the States

Assembly.

Future  A9. The Sub-Committee noted that its next meeting was due to take place on 12th Meetings.  October  2023 at 2pm  in Le  Capelain room. A number of members of the Sub-

Committee gave their apologies for the next meeting, therefore, the Chair agreed to liaise with the Principal Committee and Panel Officer as to whether the meeting would go ahead as scheduled.