Legislation Advisory Panel - appointment of members

STATES OF JERSEY

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LEGISLATION ADVISORY PANEL: APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS

Lodged au Greffe on 17th March 2006 by the Chief Minister

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to a p point the following persons as members of the Legislation Advisory Panel –

• S e n a tor James Leslie Perchard

• S e n a tor Ben Edward Shenton

• T h e Connétable of St. Clement

• T h e Deputy of St. John

CHIEF MINISTER

REPORT

1. I n July 2002 the States approved a proposition ofthe Policy and ResourcesCommittee concerning the Machinery of Government: Proposed Departmental Structure and Transitional Arrangements'(P.70/2002, as amended). In approving this proposition, the States agreed that the Legislation Committee should remain in place during the transitional period,and that consultation should take place with the Legislation Committee in order to establish how its functions should be carried out once theministerialsystemcame into effect.
2. T h i s consultation subsequently took place,anditwasagreed that matters which were the responsibilityof the Legislation Committee shouldbe transferred to the Chief Minister, and that anAdvisoryPanelshould be appointedtoadvisethe Chief Minister on these matters.Itwas also agreed that this body should be chaired byanAssistant Minister and should consist of States membersdrawn from both the executiveand non-executive armsof the Assembly, including representation from the Comitédes Connétable s (for the purposes ofadvancingparochiallyimportant legislation).
3. A s reported in the recently published report on Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministers and Assistant Ministers' (R.23/2006), I am pleased to advise members that one of my two Assistant Ministers, Connétable Ken Vibert , has agreed to be the Chairman of this new Advisory Panel.
4. A lt hough there is no requirement to bring the appointment of membersto the States, I feel that there would bebenefitindoingso, particularly as the membershipof the Panel will bedrawn from both the executive and non-executive arms of the Assembly. I am pleased to report that four States members have been approachedin this connection, and all of them have indicated that they would be willing for their names to goforward. They are as follows –

• S e n a tor James Perchard

• S e n a tor Ben Shenton

• C o n n étable Derek Gray

• D  ep u ty Andrew Lewis

5. T h is group will include two members from the executive ( Deputy Andrew Lewis , together with Connétable Ken Vibert ), as well as representation from the Comitédes Connétable s ( Connétable sDerek Gray andKen Vibert ). I am particularly pleased that Connétable Gray has agreedtobenominatedas a member,as he was previously the Presidentofthe Legislation Committee and will therefore be able to bring his experienceandknowledge to the Panel. I wouldalso like to thank the three recently-elected members (Senators JamesPerchardand Ben Shenton,together with Deputy Lewis ) for agreeingto allow their names go forwardfor this particular role.
6. S u b ject to approvalbythe States, it is proposed that the Advisory Panel will meeton a regular basis to consider matters that were formerlydealt with by the Legislation Committee.These include legislation relating to the courts and court procedures, probate, wills and succession, and customary law. It is envisaged that anyrecommendations from the Advisory Panel will be forwarded to the Chief Minister and brought to the States asappropriate.

Financial and manpower implications

7. T  h is proposition hasnoadditional financial and manpower implications. The Advisory Panel will be supported by a Committee Clerk from the States Greffe, and will receive advice from the Attorney General and LawDraftsman,who will be invited to attend its meetings.