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23.04.18
14 The Connétable of St. Martin of the Chief Minister regarding consultation of the
Cabinet Office (OQ.71/2023)
Will the Chief Minister explain what external consultation has been undertaken in relation to the development of the Cabinet Office, including any consultation with Islanders, and advise which other jurisdictions, if any, have been considered or contacted to understand their respective ways of working?
Deputy K.L. Moore (The Chief Minister):
Apologies for some repetition. I now understand that the Oral Questions do not run in numerical order in the Order Paper, which is why I have been somewhat confused at times today.
The Deputy Bailiff :
I think they do, but perhaps you have an older Order Paper. Deputy K.L. Moore :
No, they do not. According to my record they are ... but anyway, I will give my answer. The Democratic Accountability Subcommittee of P.P.C. reported to the Assembly in February last year, having invited comments and researched the structure of and support available to Ministerial Government. The report recommended the establishment of a Cabinet Office and I have full confidence that P.P.C. undertook a full and proper piece of work. I made clear in the election campaign and when I was standing for the office of Chief Minister that the establishment of a Cabinet Office would form part of my programme. I delivered this aim in the first 100 days of Government. There was no further external consultation. I am not aware that there would be for such an administrative restructure and the proposals were then developed in line with the recommendations of the subcommittee, albeit with some modifications due to certain legislative constraints. As Ministers, we, of course, regularly engage with Islanders, including at Council of Ministers’ meetings which we hold on a monthly basis now in the parishes.
Deputy M.R. Scott :
Sorry, I was intending to ask a supplementary to the question but I understand if the Constable has not I do not have the right to ask a supplemental.
The Deputy Bailiff :
No, you can ask a question.
- Deputy M.R. Scott :
Oh, I can? Thank you very much. Could I please just ask the Chief Minister in terms of the structure of the Cabinet Office how the States Members who are members of it are accountable to the Council of Ministers themselves?
Deputy K.L. Moore :
I do agree with the Deputy that if a supplementary question is not put, then generally there is not a follow-up from other Members of the Assembly, but I would endeavour to answer the Deputy ’s question. So, I think it was a question about accountability to the whole Council of Ministers and that ... well, officials are accountable to myself as the Chief Minister. I think that would probably be the simplest way to understand it. They have a structure within themselves and then through the chief executive who is accountable to the Council of Ministers as a whole.
- Deputy M.R. Scott :
If I could just clarify, I am talking about political accountability and the extent to which the Ministers and Assistant Ministers in the Cabinet Office are overseeing or account for their decisions in the Cabinet Office to the Council of Ministers as a larger body.
Deputy K.L. Moore :
Well, we are all here to hold each other to account, but generally Ministerial work is conducted through that particular Ministry and items are raised to the Council of Ministers when there are cross-cutting matters.