Machinery of Government Sub-Committee Minutes (Part A) - 20 December 2023

Privileges and Procedures Committee Machinery of Government Sub-Committee (5th Meeting)

20th December 2023

Part A (Non-Exempt)

All members were present.

Deputy L.V. Feltham of St Helier Central, Chair Deputy T.A. Coles of St Helier South, Vice-Chair Deputy A. Howell of St John, St Lawrence and Trinity Deputy H.L. Jeune of St John, St Lawrence and Trinity Connétable R. Vibert of St Peter

In attendance –

Mr. Y. Fillieul , Assistant Greffier

Miss. K. Boydens , Principal Committee and Panel Officer Miss. J. Lepp, Research and Project Officer

Note:  The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A

Apologies.  A1. No apologies were received.

Minutes.  A2. The Sub-Committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd November

2023.

Democratic  A3. The Sub-Committee noted that it was awaiting a response from the Chief Minister Accountability  regarding  the  Democratic  Accountability  and  Governance  Sub-Committee and  recommendations. The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised that the response Governance  was due to be received later that day. The Sub-Committee agreed to discuss the response Sub- at the January 2024 meeting.

Committee

Recommendati

ons.

Law Drafting  A4. The Sub-Committee noted that the Legislative Drafting Office had previously Training.  offered law drafting training to States Members, however, due to attendance levels, the

session had become unviable. The Research and Project Officer was requested to contact the Principal Legislative Drafter to ask whether additional training sessions could be organised for members. It was the Sub-Committee’s view that full day sessions could cause difficulties for members due to other meetings, therefore, it was also agreed that the Principal Legislative Drafter would be asked whether the training could be condensed to half day sessions.

The Sub-Committee also received a copy of the guidance produced by the Legislative Drafting Office and requested that this was circulated to all States Members on the dedicated Teams Channel. The Research and Project Officer was tasked to take the necessary action.

Maximum  A5.  The  Sub-Committee  discussed  broader  constitutional  reform  following Number of  correspondence from Deputy M.B Andrews regarding introducing a maximum number

5th meeting 20.12.2023

Members to  of members to Panels and agreed that it was not currently a priority for the Sub- Panels  Committee. The Sub-Committee’s view was that it should be up to the Chair of a

Committee or Panel to solve any potential issues such as whether there will be a quorum during meetings. Currently, the Sub-Committee’s priority was addressing the DAG recommendations. It was agreed that Deputy Andrews would be advised accordingly.

,  A6. The Sub-Committee considered a paper on the timing of appointments in the States Timing of  Assembly and in particular whether there should be a requirement for the Chief Minister appointments  to disclose the identities of both Ministers and Assistant Ministers before nominations in the States  for the Chairs of Scrutiny Panel were made. The Sub-Committee agreed that more Assembly.  information  was  required  on  how  other  jurisdictions  handled  the  timing  of

appointments.  The  Research  and  Project  Officer  was  tasked  to  produce  a  paper regarding this at the January 2024 meeting.

On a related matter, the Sub-Committee queried whether the Chief Minister had the power to move Ministerial portfolios without States approval. The Research and Project Officer was tasked to research the matter and advise the Sub-Committee accordingly at the next meeting.

A7.  The  Sub-Committee  discussed  Ministerial  Orders,  which  were  subordinate Ministerial  enactments  made  by  Ministers.  The  Sub-Committee  raised  a  number  of  queries Orders.  regarding the process of Orders and how members were notified of new ones. The Assistant Greffier (Chamber and Members’ Support) advised that members could

subscribe to the Jersey Law website which would notify them when new legislation, including Orders, were published.  The Sub-Committee agreed that this would be beneficial and the Assistant Greffier was requested to signpost members to this facility.

The Principal Committee and Panel Officer advised the Sub-Committee that a paper had  been  produced for a  previous  meeting  which  included  more  information  on Ministerial Orders and suggested that this was recirculated to the Sub-Committee on Teams.

A7. The Sub-Committee confirmed that its next meeting would be on Wednesday 24th

January 2024 from 9am to 10am. The Chair advised that Deputy R.E. Binet had Future  requested to meet the Sub-Committee to discuss a number of matters relating to the Meetings.  machinery of government. It was agreed that Deputy Binet would be invited to attend

the next meeting and the Research and Project Officer was asked to make the necessary

arrangements.