Corporate Services - Approved Panel Minutes - 26 January 2006

Item No

Agenda matter

Action

1

Minutes from meeting of 21st December 2005

The minutes were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

2 21.12.05 Item 8

21.12.05 Item 6

21.12.05 Item 9

Matters arising from meeting of 21st December 2005

• The Panel agreed that all agendas and minutes should be uploaded onto the website to enable the public to access them,  however  it  was  also  decided  that  if  confidential matters arose they would be placed under Part B' minutes.

• The  Panel  requested  additional  information  on  the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connexion with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996'.

The Panel highlighted the fact that the structure of public meetings is still a training need that needs to be addressed. Chairman  to  discuss  this  matter  with  the  Chairman's Committee to establish if any other Panels feel the same way.

Officers Officers Chairman

3 21.12.05 Item 8

Notes from meeting of 16th January 2006 with Ministers

The notes were approved as read. It was noted that the Ministers had agreed to the request for regular quarterly meetings with the Panel.

4

Proposed dates of public meetings

The Panel agreed the proposed dates and requested that they be uploaded onto the Scrutiny website so that the public could access them.

Officers

5

Draft Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 200- (P.196/2005)

The Panel had a joint discussion with the Social Affairs Scrutiny Panel concerning the above law, in order to co-ordinate the way forward for both Panels. The Social Affairs Panel informed the Corporate Services Panel of its approach to this matter, and read the Panel the draft statement to be made to the States on Tuesday 31st January 2006. The Panels agreed to deal with this matter

separately.

Mr L  Small (Director of the Youth Reform Team)  attended  the meeting and the Chairmen of both Panels explained to him the approach that they would each be independently taking.

The Panel confirmed that it would be conducting a review on the international  factors  associated  with  this  matter.  The  Chairman

would make a statement on Tuesday 31st January 2006 to inform the States of this decision.

The Panel agreed that the Chief Minister should be invited to the meeting on the 16th February 2006 to discuss the international

aspects of the Sexual Offences (Jersey) Law 200-.

Chairman Officers

6 21.01.05 Item 7

Proposed review topics for the work programme 2006

The  Panel  considered  Topic  Proposal  forms  on  the  following issues:

• Fiscal Strategy: 20 means 20, look-through taxation; and GST  exemptions  The  Panel  considered  briefing papers prepared by the Scrutiny Officers. It was agreed that these  were  all  potential  review  topics  for  2006. Before making a final decision the Panel agreed that it would be beneficial for the Treasury and Resources Minister to make a  presentation  on  the  department's  current  position  with regard to the above proposals. Officers were requested to arrange this presentation for the public meeting to be held

on  16th  February  2006.  In  the  meantime  the  Chairman requested that members study the report and background

papers of the review of GST carried out by the Shadow Scrutiny Panel in 2005. The Panel also requested officers to investigate the appointment of an adviser to assist it with taxation  issues.  It  requested  that  an  advert  be  drafted inviting  propositions  from  potential  independent  tax advisers.

The Panel noted a specific proposal from a member of the public concerning the addition of GST to JEC utility bills and agreed  that  this  might  form  part  of  a  review  of  GST exemptions.

The Chairman outlined a proposal regarding a review of the fulfilment industry.

The Panel deferred the following topics until a later date -

States Liability to pay rates

States Property portfolio

Law Draftsman's office

Public Sector Pensions

• Income Tax Instalment Scheme (ITIS) implementation issues – It was noted that the Chamber of Commerce was looking into the difficulties currently being experienced by small businesses.
• Legal representation in matters pending at European Court of Human Rights – It was agreed that this was not a matter the Panel could look into.
• Communications Unit – The Panel decided that this was a matter for the Chairman's Committee
• Financial Services Commission - It was agreed that this came under the remit of the Economic Affairs Panel.

Officers

Panel Members

Officers

Chairman

7

Forthcoming regulations

The  Panel  requested  further  information  on  the  Draft  Taxation (United States of America) (Jersey) Regulations 200-.

Officers

8

Departmental Business Plans

Once the finalised Business Plans were available the Panel agreed to inform the Ministers that the Panel would be using them as a tool to monitor the department's performance.

9

Training session: Questioning skills 23rd February 2006

The Panel acknowledged the training date; however Deputy Ryan, Senator Perchard, and Deputy Gallichan were unable to attend due to previous commitments.

11

AOB

The Panel agreed to meet on the 9th February 2006 to discuss the proposed meeting with the Ministers, and the

draft advert for tax advisers.

• The Chairman requested a letter be drafted to Senator PFC Ozouf informing him of the former's intention to resign as director of Jersey Finance, due to the potential conflict that might occur given his position as Chairman of Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel.
• The Panel requested as much documentation as possible to be sent to them electronically in future, and Connétable Gallichan requested any future correspondence to be sent via his Parish Hall email address.

Officers Officers

Officers