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Chairmen's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 19 June 2007

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CHAIRMEN'S COMMITTEE Meeting of Chairmen held on 19th June 2007 Meeting Number 52

PRIVATE SESSION

Present Deputy S C Ferguson, President

Deputy R G Le Hérissier, Vice President

Deputy R C Duhamel

Deputy J G Reed

Deputy P J D Ryan

Deputy D.W. Mezbourian [first part of meeting only]

Apologies

Absent Deputy A Breckon

Deputy G P Southern

In attendance Mrs K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny Sub- Panel: Review of the Social Housing Property Plan 2007- 2010

The Committee recalled that the Housing Minister had requested the  Chief  Minister  to  request  the  Privileges  and  Procedures Committee to undertake a review into the process undertaken by the above Scrutiny Panel in respect of its review into the Social Housing Property Plan.

It also recalled that it had approved a statement to be made by the President of the Chairmen's Committee in respect of the above matter to be made in the States on this day.

The  Committee  considered  the  draft  Code  of  Practice  for Scrutiny Panels and the PAC and noted that Section 2.3 stated:

"The  Chairmen's  Committee  has  responsibility  for oversight, co-ordination and review of the work of the PAC and the Scrutiny Panels."

It also noted Section 11.19 which stated:

"At the end of each review each Panel will evaluate the effectiveness of the process and report any problems to the Chairmen's Committee. The Chairmen's Committee will  also  consider  any  comments  which  the  Executive wishes to make on the process of a particular review. The Chairmen's Committee may establish a Sub-Committee consisting of the two non-Chairmen on the Committee to asses  a  particular  review  if  it  considers  this  to  be appropriate"

In view of the above, the Committee consequently agreed that any evaluation of a scrutiny review fell within the remit of the Committee and not within that of the Privileges and Procedures Committee.  Any  request  to  the  latter  was  therefore inappropriate.

It noted, however, that one of the two non-Chairmen on the

 

Chairmen's  Committee  had  been  involved  in  the  Sub-Panel review  in  question  and  consequently  his  involvement  in  any evaluation would be inappropriate. It was also noted that the Health,  Social  Security  and  Housing  Scrutiny  Panel  and  its Social Housing Plan Sub-Panel (the membership of the latter comprised three members of the main Panel together with two Connétable s) welcomed an evaluation into its review. However, this would be appropriate at a later stage.

The Committee agreed that a question should be asked of the Chief Minister during this day's Questions without notice to the Chief Minister regarding any training which had been undertaken by Ministers in order to equip them with the necessary skills to respond to Scrutiny reports.

The Committee also considered meetings with the Chief Minister and noted that Section 2.10 of the draft Code of Practice stated that the Chairmen's Committee would invite the Chief Minister to meet it "on at least a twice yearly basis to discuss the respective work programmes of the Executive and the Scrutiny function".

Signed Date: .. President, Chairmen's Committee