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CHAIRMEN'S COMMITTEE Meeting of Chairmen held on 1st June 2007 Meeting Number 47
Present Deputy S C Ferguson, President
Deputy R G Le Hérissier, Vice President
Deputy R C Duhamel
Deputy F J Hill
Deputy J A Martin
Deputy P J D Ryan (with the exception of Items 1 and 2) Deputy J G Reed
Deputy A Breckon (Items 1-4)
Apologies Deputy G P Southern
Absent
In attendance Miss S. Power, Scrutiny Officer
Mr M. De La Haye, Greffier of the States (Item 3)
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Minutes
the meeting of the 18th May 2007, and requested for them to be made and placed on the agenda for approval at the next meeting.
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| 2. Panel Position Reports The Committee received and noted individual Panel Reports as read, in addition to the following additional information that had arisen since the Reports had been produced:
The Committee noted that the Panel Chairman had received a letter dated the 24th May 2007, from the Chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee requesting the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel to conduct a Review into the proposed draft Freedom of Information Law. The letter further proposed that the draft law would not be lodged prior to any potential Scrutiny Review. The Chairman of the Panel explained that this was an issue that needed to be discussed in full by his Panel, however initial caution was expressed given the Panel's currently heavy workload. The Committee was supportive of the Chairman's initial reluctance, as it was believed to be a contentious issue that would elicit many individual political viewpoints if subjected to a Scrutiny Review.
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Money Laundering Regulations
The Panel will soon be considering the possibility of forming a Sub-Panel to conduct a Review into money laundering regulations.
Economic Development Department Business Plan
The Committee discussed the issue that had arisen in terms of the invitation to the Minister for Economic Development to attend a Panel meeting to discuss the Business Plan, and the reluctance of the Minister for this discussion to take place in public. It was agreed that the Chairman of the Panel should GS write to the Minister to suggest an alternative date for his attendance at a Panel meeting. This meeting should take place
in public, however it was agreed that the letter should suggest
that any issues that needed to be discussed in private could
take place during an in camera' session at the end of the meeting.
c) Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel Review of the Centeniers Role in the Magistrate's Court:
The Committee noted that the Panel was currently experiencing some difficulties, as individual Panel members had differing views on the way forward in terms of the content of the draft Report. The Panel would be considering the final draft of its Report at a meeting on the 4th June, and it was hoped that it
would be possible for the Panel to reach a consensus at this meeting.
Letter from the Minister for Home Affairs:
The Committee noted that the Chairman of the Panel had received a letter from the Minister for Home Affairs, dated the 24th May 2007, highlighting several forthcoming pieces of work the department would be focusing on in advance of the IMF Inspection Team's attendance in the Island in the second quarter of 2008. It was noted that the Minister had requested the Panel's support in enabling the various pieces of legislation to proceed to debate in the States after the mandatory lodging period.
- Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny Panel Telephone Mast Review
The Committee noted that following Public Hearings at the end of May, the Minister for Economic Development had been supportive of the Panel's Report, and had agreed to move forward in accordance with the Panel's recommendations. It was further noted that to date the Panel had been unable to arrange a Public Hearing with the Minister for Health and Social Services to discuss the relevant recommendations for his department.
Housing Property Plan Review
The Committee noted that the Chairman of the Sub-Panel would be preparing a statement to make to the House on the 5th June 2007, highlighting serious issues that had emerged during the course of the Sub-Panel's Review, in order to enable members to decide whether the debate should proceed as
planned on the 19th June 2007. Income Support Sub-Panel
The Committee noted that this issue had been subject to further delays, and the new Income Support system would now be going live on the 2nd January 2008.
Business Plans
The Committee noted that the Sub-Panel conducting this Review had experienced difficulties, as it was felt that there was not enough information available in order for a full and thorough Review to be completed. It was further noted that the reporting deadline of the end of April, requested by the Council of Ministers, had proven impossible to follow.
Concern was also expressed by the Panel Chairman, as there had been great difficulty in obtaining requested information from SF the Health and Social Services Department, as despite items being outlined in the Business Plan, when further information
was requested on these items it was not available.
The Committee agreed that as a result of these difficulties, in conjunction with similar problems experienced with the Housing Property Plan Review, the President of the Committee would write a letter to the Chief Minister highlighting the current difficulties in terms of access to requested information from both the Health and Social Services and Housing departments.
- Environment Scrutiny Panel Sheltered Housing Proposition
The Committee noted that there had been some suggestion that the Panel should Review the Sheltered Housing Proposition. However, it was explained by the Chairman that the viability of
such a Review was uncertain, as there were difficulties in terms RD/AB of availability of data due to further work that is being conducted
by the Population Office that would be of benefit to such a
Review. It was further explained that there is a need for a full
Review to be conducted into the Island Plan, which could incorporate work into the proposals for Sheltered Housing. The Chairman explained that the Panel would be writing to the
Minister for Planning and Environment highlighting concerns
with the Sheltered Housing proposition, and it was agreed that
this should be a joint letter from the Chairman of the Health,
Social Security and Housing Scrutiny Panel, to incorporate
issues with the housing elements of the proposition.
- Public Accounts Committee
The Committee noted that the PAC's main event for 2007 would
take place on the 30th July 2007, where the Committee would be holding Public Hearings with the Chief Officers from the
Health and Social Services; Home Affairs; Education Sport and Culture; and Housing Departments to discuss the annual accounts for these departments.
The Committee would also be issuing comments on the Comptroller and Auditor General's last three reports within the next week.
- Propositions to the States
Item 1 a) Code of Practice
22/05/07 Further to the Committee's decision on the 22nd May 2007 to
lodge the draft Code of Practice in its entirety before the 5th June 2007, the Committee received an amended version of the
Legal advice section of the draft Code of Practice, compiled by H.M. Attorney General that had been sent to the President. The Committee agreed that this version did not reflect the views of the Committee in terms of Scrutiny's access to legal advice.
The Committee further considered the version of the draft Code
of Practice, as lodged on the 15th August 2006. The Committee MDLH/SP made several amendments to this document, and requested for
the Greffier of the States and the Scrutiny Officer to incorporate
the changes accordingly. The Committee reaffirmed its earlier
decision for the document to be lodged on the 5th June 2007, and delegated responsibility to Deputies Ferguson; Le
Hérissier; and Hill to review the document in full in advance of
5th June 2007, to consider any additional amendments that the
Committee may wish to make. It was agreed that the final
version would be circulated to all Chairmen's Committee
members by email to provide the opportunity for members to Item 5 comment, in advance of lodging.
18/05/07
- Access to Council of Minister's Part B background papers
The Committee considered a draft report and proposition in respect of access to Council of Ministers' Part B background papers, and agreed that, rather than lodging this as a separate item, it should be included in the draft Code of Practice to be lodged on the 5th June 2007.
On a separate matter, on behalf of the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Martin raised an issue in terms of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information. It
was explained to the Committee that the Panel had been experiencing difficulties in terms of the distribution of
information as the Minister for Economic Development had JM attempted to rely on exemptions under the Code of Practice in
an attempt to prevent publication by the panel of certain information. The Committee agreed that the Code only referred
to the information flow between members of the public and the
States, and it was therefore not believed to be appropriate for it Item 2 to affect the flow of information from Ministers to Scrutiny.
22/05/07 Deputy Martin agreed to provide this feedback to the relevant
parties.
- Amendment of Standing Order 141 MDLH Further to its meeting of the 22nd May 2007, the Committee reconsidered its decision for the President of the Chairmen's
Committee to be elected annually, and agreed that it no longer
wished for this amendment to be made to Standing Orders.
The Committee requested the Greffier of the States to prepare an amendment to Standing Orders to permit the President of the Chairmen's Committee to be elected from within the Chairmen's Committee rather than with approval of the States.
- Debrief on Scrutiny Away Day
The Committee received and noted notes from the Scrutiny
Away Day on the 22nd May 2007, and requested for a date to KTF be arranged for the next meeting to take place in six months
time.
- Orchid Communications
The Committee agreed to defer this item of business to its next
meeting on the 29th June 2007, and requested for it to be SP placed as a matter of priority on the agenda for this meeting
accordingly. It was agreed that Deputies Ferguson and Reed SF/JR would produce a paper for consideration at this meeting,
highlighting the main areas where Scrutiny would benefit from
public relations input.
The Committee further requested for the following information to SP/KTF be included for consideration with this agenda item:
- Quarterly figures outlining the expenditure to date for
the work conducted by Orchid Communications.
- Up to date statistics from the Scrutiny website.
- Scrutiny Article – Institute of Directors Newsletter
The Committee noted articles prepared by Deputy Ferguson
and Mr E. Egglishaw, Orchid Communications, for inclusion in
the next edition of the Institute of Directors Newsletter. Deputy
Ferguson requested that members let her know of any feedback All
on either article as soon as possible. members
- Date of next meeting:
29th June 2007: 9.30 am, Le Capelain Room, States Building
Signed Date: .. President, Chairmen's Committee