PPC Minutes (Part A) - 7 March 2024

Privileges and Procedures Committee (1st Meeting)

7th March 2024

Part A (Non-Exempt)

All members were present, with the exception of Deputy L.K.F. Stephenson of St. Mary , St. Ouen and St. Peter , from whom apologies had been received.

Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St. Martin , Chair Deputy C.S. Alves of St. Helier Central (via Teams) Connétable M.K. Jackson of St. Brelade

Deputy T.A. Coles of St. Helier South

Deputy S.M. Ahier of St. Helier North

In attendance -

W. Millow , Deputy Greffier of the States

Y. Fillieul , Assistant Greffier of the States, Chamber and Members' Support (via Teams)

T. Oldham , Assistant Greffier of the States, Committees and Panels (via Teams)

J. Lepp, Research and Project Officer

J. Hales , Research and Project Officer (via Teams)

K.M. Larbalestier, Principal Secretariat Officer, Specialist Secretariat C. Fearn, Assistant Secretariat Officer, Specialist Secretariat (Minutes)

Note:  The Minutes of this meeting comprise Part A only.

Privileges and  A1. The  Chair  welcomed  Members  to  the  inaugural  meeting  of  the  newly Procedures  constituted Privileges and Procedures Committee.

Committee:

overview of  Attention was drawn to Standing Orders 127 – 131, which set out the Committee's remit and  terms of reference. The Committee also considered a report entitled Privileges and procedural  Procedures Committee: Proceedings', which had been prepared by Ms. J. Lepp, framework.  Research and Project Officer, in connexion with its remit and procedural framework.

The membership requirements, structure of meetings and role of the Chair were outlined, together with the specific responsibilities of the Committee in the context of the arrangement of public business for meetings of the States Assembly and the role of the Commissioner for Standards.

The Committee noted that it was obliged to maintain those Sub-Committees which had  been  established  under  Standing  Orders  (the  Machinery  of  Government, Diversity Forum, and Political Awareness and Education Sub-Committees), and that these would need to be reconstituted. Whilst the Deputy Greffier suggested that a member of the Committee should act as the Chair of each Sub-Committee to assist with reporting lines, the Committee noted the contrary view of Deputy C.S. Alves of St. Helier Central that the role of Sub-Committee Chair should not be limited to members of the Committee. The challenge of obtaining a quorum at meetings of larger Sub-Committees, for example the Diversity Forum, was recalled and the Committee agreed that the number of Members on each Sub-Committee should

mirror arrangements for the main Committee (7 Members).

Turning to the Pensions Sub-Committee, which had not been established under Standing Orders, the Deputy Greffier suggested that the Committee might wish to incorporate the work of that Sub-Committee into the remit of the main Committee. However,  Members  concluded  that  it  would  be  useful  to  maintain  the  Sub- Committee and noted that meetings had previously been held twice a year.

Appointment  A2.  The Committee discussed the appointment of a Vice-Chair, in accordance of Vice-Chair.  with Standing Order 131(3), and noted that any member of the Committee could be

nominated, regardless of whether they held a Government position or not.

It was noted that both Deputies C.S. Alves of St. Helier Central and S. M. Ahier of St. Helier North had expressed an interest in the role of Vice-Chair.

As the Committee was not yet fully constituted (a member of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee had yet to be formally appointed), the Committee agreed to defer appointing a Vice-Chair to a future meeting.

Appointment  A3. The Committee was informed that the Scrutiny Liaison Committee (SLC) had of Scrutiny  agreed to propose Deputy L.M.C. Doublet of St. Saviour as its representative, Liaison  subject to the approval of the States Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order Committee  127(2).

member to the

Privileges and  The Committee endorsed the nomination of Deputy Doublet by the SLC, and it was Procedures  agreed that she should be invited to attend the next scheduled meeting of the Committee.  Committee on 18th March 2024, as an observer (as the Committee meeting would

precede the next States Assembly meeting).

Privileges and  A4.  The  Committee  considered  a  report  entitled  Privileges  and  Procedures Procedures  Committee – Working Practices' which had been prepared by Ms. J. Lepp, Research Committee:  and Project Officer.

Working

practices.  The Committee agreed to maintain the administrative approach, as outlined in the

report, noting that it would be beneficial to continue to receive communications and documents via Microsoft Teams and electronic mail messages.

Privileges and  A5.  The Committee considered a report entitled Position Paper: Privileges and Procedures  Procedures Committee', in connexion with the progress that had been made by the Committee:  Committee, as previously constituted.

update on

workstreams.  The Committee noted details of the wide-ranging work which had been undertaken

to date and the future work programme, which included a review of the Code of Conduct for States Members and voter registration reform in consultation with Government, for which funding had been approved in the Government Plan. The Deputy Greffier of the States highlighted a recent proposal from Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade for a review of the safety and security of States Members.

In response to a question from Deputy S.M. Ahier of St. Helier North , the Deputy Greffier advised that electoral reform work spanned the remits of a number of bodies. Deputy Ahier suggested that consideration should be given to bringing the date of the June 2026 election forward for practical purposes. It was recalled that this had been raised by the Chair at a meeting in 2023, when Members had been advised of wider support for the same. It was agreed that the matter should be included on the agenda for a future meeting.

On a related matter, Deputy C.S. Alves of St. Helier Central informed the Committee that she had been delegated responsibility for civic engagement from a Government perspective by the Chief Minister.

Privileges and  A6. The Committee, with reference to Minute No. A9 of 15th January 2024, of Procedures  the Committee as previously constituted, considered a number of reports which had Committee:  been prepared in connexion with the progress that had been made by its Sub- Sub- Committees.

Committees –

remit and  Machinery of Government (MoG) Sub-Committee  

update on  The Committee was informed that the MoG Sub-Committee had been tasked with workstreams.  reviewing the progress of the implementation of recommendations arising from

previous reviews. It was noted that work undertaken by the Sub-Committee to date included:  recommendations  made  to  the  Chief  Minister  on  Democratic Accountability and Government; the review of guidance documents for the States of Jersey Law 2005, Standing Orders for the Executive and conflicts of interest; and the provision of law drafting training for States Members.

Diversity Forum

The Committee was informed that the Diversity Forum aimed to increase public engagement in democratic processes, particularly in relation to under-represented groups. It was noted that work undertaken by the Diversity Forum to date related to equality, gender balance in the States Assembly, gender pay and the inclusion of diversity in the 2022 election campaign through collaboration with the Digital and Public Engagement Team, States Greffe. It was further noted that the Diversity Forum had produced briefing papers in connexion with the responsibilities of the Minister for Housing and Communities in terms of the rights of registered voters in other jurisdictions.

Political Awareness and Education (PAE) Sub-Committee

It was recalled that the Committee, as previously constituted, had lodged au Greffe' a proposition entitled Amendment to the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey – Political Awareness and Education, Privileges and Procedures Sub-Committee' (P.92/2023), to establish the PAE as a permanent Sub-Committee.

The Committee was informed that the PAE sought to raise political awareness and engagement to nurture public interest in politics through collaboration with multiple stakeholders,  including  the  Children,  Young  People,  Education  and  Skills Department, the Jersey Youth Service, the Comité des Connétable s and other key stakeholders. The PAE had worked closely with the Digital and Public Engagement Team  and  work  to  date  related  to  the  Youth  Parliament,  Automatic  Voter Registration, the Electoral Register and various aspects of the work of the Digital and Public Engagement Team. The PAE had also discussed plans for Citizenship Day and Democracy Week.

Pensions Sub-Committee  

The Committee was informed that the Pensions Sub-Committee had overseen the pension scheme for States Members, including making recommendations to the Committee on its design, leading the procurement process for pension scheme providers, establishing a service level agreement between the pension provider and the States and reviewing contribution rates annually.

In contrast with the other Sub-Committees, the Pensions Sub-Committee had not been established in accordance with Standing Orders. The Committee had decided to maintain the Pensions Sub-Committee, highlighting that it carried out a useful oversight function (Minute No. A1 of the extant meeting refers).

States of  A7.  The Committee considered a report of the States of Jersey Complaints Board, Jersey  in connexion with a complaint which had been made by Mrs. X against the Minister Complaints  for Health and Social Services in relation to access to tertiary care/communication Board Report:  from  health  care  providers/the  administration  of  a  complaint  by  the  Patient Mrs. X – v the  Experience Team of the Health and Community Services Department.

Minister for

Health and  The Committee approved the report for presentation to the States Assembly with a Social Services  brief covering report.

Privileges and  A9.  The Committee noted a schedule of monthly meetings proposed for the Procedures  remainder of 2024, all of which would commence at 10.00 am on Monday mornings. Committee:

schedule of  The Committee discussed the proposed meeting dates and whilst noting some meetings.  scheduling conflicts, concluded that Monday mornings remained the most suitable

time slot for the majority of Members. Where several Members were unable to attend on a specific date/time, the schedule could be revised. The Committee requested that electronic calendar invitations be extended for all future meetings.

The Chair informed the Committee that the agenda for the next scheduled meeting on 18th March 2024, was likely to include a number of items and that the meeting could extend beyond the 2 hours allocated.