Economic Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 12 December 2007

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Agenda matter

Action

1.

Minutes

The Minutes of the meetings held on 28th November 2007 were approved.

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2.

Item 2 28.11.07

Draft Price and Charge Indicators (Jersey) Law 200-

The Panel recalled that, during a speech to the assembly on 7th November  2007,  the  Economic  Development  Minister  had indicated that he would favour the display of GST on receipts.

The Panel directed officers to contact the Economic Development to  determine  which  Minister  would  be  bringing  the  necessary proposition to the assembly.

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3.

Item 4 28.11.07

Rural Economy

The Panel recalled that the rollup' of the Single Area Payment to glasshouse  growers  had  cost  the  taxpayer  approximately  £1.3 million. The Panel noted that anecdotal evidence suggested that there had been a number of planning applications for development of glasshouse sites in the Island, and it queried whether the rollup' was an appropriate use of funds, given that growers who left the industry  were  likely  to  be  receiving  considerable  sums  for development land.

Officers were directed to cross-reference all growers who received rollup' funds with planning applications for development of land, and to bring the results of this research back to the Panel at its next meeting.

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4.

Item 12 28.11.07

Draft Price and Charge Indicators review evaluation

The  Panel  recalled  that  while  reviewing  the  evaluation  of  this review, the Chairman had indicated that he was dissatisfied with the  terminology  used  in  the  questionnaire  section  entitled Advisers',  which  contained  the  question  Was  the  adviser

unbiased?'.

The  Chairman  considered  it  detrimental  to  the  reputation  of Scrutiny  as  a  whole  to  suggest  that  biased  advisors  might  be engaged, and furthermore were such an adviser to be employed the relevant Panel would be unlikely to recognise the bias involved.

The  Panel  noted  that  officers,  having  liaised  with  the  Scrutiny Manager, had amended this section to remove the word unbiased'.

5.

Economic Development Department Business Plan 2008

The  Panel  discussed  the  ongoing  review  of  the  Economic Development Department Business Plans. It noted that it did not yet have the finalised cash limits for the Economic Development Department Business Plan 2008. Officers were directed to obtain these figures and provide them to the Panel at its next meeting.

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6.

Item 9 28.11.07

The Role and Funding of Jersey Finance Limited

The Panel recalled that calls for evidence had been published in the Jersey Evening Post (JEP) and in Business Brief', a JEP-run business magazine.

The Panel noted that a complaint had been made to the JEP by Jersey Finance Limited (JFL) on 29th November 2007 in respect of the original advertisement. It was suggested that the statement in the advert that Jersey Finance Limited was originally intended to be self funding' was inaccurate. The Panel was informed that the Chairman had instructed officers to amend the wording to read the Panel  understands  that  Jersey  Finance  Limited  was  originally intended to be self funding'. This assertion was based on evidence contained in the incomplete record of discussions relating to the formation of the company.

The Panel approved the decision of the Chairman.

The Panel noted that two responses to the call for evidence had been received, from the firm Charles Clarke (who were currently reviewing the effectiveness of JFL's board), and Dr. D. Kirsh.

Public Hearings into the matter were due to start at 10.00am on 17th December 2007, and accordingly officers distributed a Public Hearing schedule to the Panel.

The Panel noted that further information had been received from JFL under confidential cover, and that confidentiality agreements were to be signed retrospectively in the case of some documents. On a related matter, the Panel agreed that it would be appropriate to hold some sessions in camera' should the witnesses so wish, but further agreed that Section 3.2a (xiv) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information (which exempted policy in the course of development) would not apply to matters discussed in the period 2000-2003, in which the Panel was currently interested.

7.

Employment and Training Opportunities in Jersey

The Panel received amended terms of reference and an amended scoping document for this review.

The Panel decided that this matter should be deferred and directed officers  to  place  it  on  the  agenda  of  the  next  meeting  for consideration.

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8.

Scrutiny Annual Report

The Panel received a draft of its submission to the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2007.

The Panel decided that this matter should be deferred and directed officers  to  place  it  on  the  agenda  of  the  next  meeting  for consideration.

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9.

Future meetings

The Panel received a draft schedule of major dates in Business Plan  activity  for  2008,  together  with  a  draft  schedule  of  its meetings for the first half of 2008.

The Panel decided that this matter should be deferred and directed officers  to  place  it  on  the  agenda  of  the  next  meeting  for consideration.

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