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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 9 January 2006

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SOCIAL AFFAIRS SCRUTINY PANEL Meeting held on Monday 9th January at 09:30am

Present Deputy F.J. Hill, B.E.M., Chairman

Deputy J.A. Martin, Vice Chairman Deputy D.W. Mezbourian

Deputy A.E. Pryke

Deputy S. Pitman

Apologies

Absent

In attendance Mrs. K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager (for a time)

Mr. C. Ahier , Scrutiny Officer

Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer

 

Item No.

Agenda matter

Action

1.

To prepare for Ministers' [Social Security, Health and Social Services and Home Affairs] attendance on the Panel

The  Panel  discussed  the  benefit  of  visiting  the departments within their remit in order to familiarise themselves with the work undertaken. It was agreed to discuss this with the Ministers.

The Panel further agreed to request an organisation chart detailing relevant officers, their titles and contact details from the Ministers.

CA WM

2.

Meetings  with  Ministers  for  discussion  of  their proposed work programmes

Minister for Social Security

Deputy P. Troy , Assistant Minister for Social Security, accompanied  by  Mr.  T.  Gales,  Policy  Director  and Mrs.  S.  Duhamel,  Quality  Systems  Executive, attended upon the Panel.

The  Chairman  welcomed  the  delegation  from  the Social Security Department and invited them to outline the main areas of their forthcoming work programme.

The  Panel  was  advised  that  the  Income  support

proposals were likely to be the main area of interest for any review. The Panel was further advised that the proposals were scheduled to be in place by May 2007  and  in  preparation  for  this  the  policy  and structure needed to be finalised by the end of 2006.

It was suggested that the Panel refer to P.86/2005, RC 48/2004 and RC 49/2004 for further information.

 

In addition a briefing note had been provided to the then Employment & Social Security Committee at its

meeting  of  17th  November  2005. The  Panel CA requested  the  Scrutiny  Officers  to  circulate  these WM

documents  to  all  Panel  members  (RC48/2004  & RC49/2004 were circulated to Panel members during

the course of the meeting).

CA The Panel agreed to meet on either Wednesday 25th WM

or Thursday 26th January to receive a presentation on

the Income Support proposals.

Minister for Health & Social Services

Senator S. Syvret, Minister for Health, accompanied by Deputy C. Scott - Warr en, Assistant Minister, Mr. M. Pollard, Chief Executive, Mr. R. Jouault, Director of Corporate Planning & Performance Management, and Mr. A. Bannister, Projects Officer attended upon the Panel.

The  Chairman  welcomed  the  delegation  from  the Health Ministry and invited them to outline the main areas of their forthcoming work programme.

The Minister for Health advised the Panel of 5 main areas:

  • The new Public Health Strategy;
  • A review of Cardiology
  • A review of long-term care
  • Proposals for the GP out of hours emergency service
  • Establishing a private hospital

RJ The  Director of  Corporate  Planning &  Performance AB Management undertook to forward further background details relating to the 5 main areas discussed for the Panel's consideration.

Minister for Home Affairs

Senator W. Kinnard, Minister for Home Affairs, Deputy A.   Lewis ,  Assistant  Minister,  and  Mr.  S.  Austin- Vautier, Director attended upon the Panel.

The  Chairman  welcomed  the  delegation  from  the Home Affairs Department and invited them to outline the main areas of their forthcoming work programme.

The Minister for Home Affairs advised the Panel of 5 main areas:

  • Criminal Justice Policy
  • BASS strategy
  • HMI report and recommendations on the prison
  • Progress relating to the recommendations contained in the Dorey Panel drugs review concerning Home Affairs
  • Disorderly conduct and harassment law

The  Director  of  Home  Affairs  undertook  to  forward SAV further background information relating to the 5 areas

discussed for the Panel's consideration. The Director

was further requested to forward Business Plans for BH each  of  the  Departments  within  the  Home  Affairs DM

Ministry.

The  Chairman,  with  the  assistance  of   Deputy Mezbourian ,  undertook  to  examine  the  Criminal Justice  Policy  and  assess  the  case  for  initiating  a

review. CA

WM

The Panel requested the Scrutiny Officers to contact the  relative  Scrutiny  Liaison  Officers  and  confirm which of the topics discussed with the Ministers were their  highest  priority  and  clarify  the  time  scales involved. The Panel also decided to follow up the requests for supporting documents from the relative

Ministries. CA

WM

The  Panel  discussed  the  possible  creation  of  sub- Panels for particular reviews. The Panel noted that the available resources would remain the same.

The Panel requested that a list of possible scrutiny topics already identified be drawn up and circulated for the Panel meeting on Thursday 26th January.

The Chairman informed the Panel that the Chairman's Committee  was  seeking  two  additional  Panel members.

3. Consideration of Other Business

  1. The  Panel  approved  the  minutes  of  the

meeting  of  19th  December  2005  with  one amendment to item 5 relating to the Chairman

meeting with the media once the Panel's work programme had been finalised.

  1. i. The  Chairman  informed  the  Panel  that Deputy  P.  Le  Claire  intended  to  pursue  his proposition relating to a private hospital.
    1. The Scrutiny Officers confirmed to the Panel that  media  training  for  Scrutiny  Panel members was being investigated.
  2. It  was  confirmed  that  individual  Panel

members had the right to request that their dissent

or particular views be minuted.

4 Future Meetings

The Panel noted the next meeting would take place on Wednesday 11th January 2006.

SIGNED

Date: CHAIRMAN, SOCIAL AFFAIRS SCRUTINY PANEL