Income Support - Review of Benefit Levels - Approved Panel Minutes - 3 July 2006

Present

Senator B.E. Shenton

Deputy G.P. Southern

Deputy S. Pitman, Vice Chairman

Apologies

Deputy J.A. Martin, Chairman

Absent

In attendance

Mr. C. Ahier , Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Minutes of Previous Meetings

The Sub-Panel approved the minutes of the meeting of the 12th June 2006 with the following amendment:

Under Future Meetings' Deputy Martin offered her apologies not Deputy Southern .

CA

[12/06/06 Item 2]

2. Action Updates

The Sub-Panel noted the action updates with further actions agreed for the following:

The Sub-Panel noted that the Social Security Department had provided electronic copies of the Crisp Reports. Hard copies of the summary reports were distributed to the Sub-Panel. The Sub-Panel noted that the Social Security Department would not be directly using the reports in order to determine the levels for benefits under the proposed Income Support System. The Sub- Panel expressed concern that policies to expand markets needing a low skilled workforce such as supermarkets could result in more people becoming eligible for income support. Further concern was expressed about the method of adding GST to goods and the lack of concern expressed by the Treasury & Resources Minister for the possible inflationary consequences.

The Sub-Panel noted the arrangements to meet with the Minister for Social Security at 9:30am on Friday 7th July and agreed to request an agenda from the Social Security Department for consideration prior to the meeting.

The Vice-Chairman invited a member of the public, Mr Chris Steel, to comment upon the issues in respect of the Income Support Review. Mr Steel expressed concern about the minimum wage rate and its relationship with the new income support

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proposals. He also detailed the systems of social support in other jurisdictions and their comparative levels to those proposed in Jersey.

3. Public Hearing

The Sub-Panel noted that all of the proposed witnesses had confirmed their attendance at the Public Hearing on 25th July 2006.

It was agreed that the witnesses should be scheduled to appear at 10:00am, 11:00am and 12:00pm.

The Sub-Panel noted the arrangements for the call for evidence' advert and further agreed to issue a press release at the same time as the call for evidence' advert appeared in the media.

JM/GS/CA

4. Adviser

The Sub-Panel noted that only Dr. Martin Evans from the Department of Social & Policy Sciences, University of Bath, had indicated his availability to undertake the role of adviser. The Sub-Panel further noted that Dr. Evans had indicated he would be available for approximately 15 days between July and November and charged £550.00 per day exclusive of expenses. The Sub- Panel commented that Dr. Evans' list of publications and CV were impressive.

The Sub-Panel considered the proposed role of the adviser and agreed that independent expertise in the area of social provision would help to ensure proper scrutiny of the Income Support proposals and assist in delivering the correct benefits, at the right level to the people who needed them. It was further commented that expertise was needed to ensure that the new system reached more people and did not exclude people who currently did not claim Welfare because of the way in which it is delivered. The Sub-Panel further agreed that an expert adviser would be of benefit in Public Hearings when questioning witnesses

It was agreed to contact the other advisers who had been approached in order to secure a definitive short list of candidates for consideration at the next Sub-Panel meeting.

CA

5. Future Meetings

The Sub-Panel noted that the next scheduled meeting would take place at 2:00pm on Monday 10th July in the Blampied room.