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Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting
Date: 11th June 2007 Meeting 28
Present Deputy D.W. Mezbourian , Vice-Chairman
Deputy S. Pitman
Deputy J. Gallichan
Apologies
Absent
In attendance Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer
Mr. T. Oldham , Scrutiny Officer
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of Previous Meetings The Panel approved and signed the records of its meetings of 11th May (with minor amendments), 14th May and 16th May 2007. The Panel approved the record of its meeting with the Chief Minister on 14th May 2007. Signing of the record would be deferred until the record had been forwarded to the Chief Minister for comment. The Panel was advised that comments had yet to be received from the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture and the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the records of their meetings with the Panel on 30th April. The Officers were requested to follow up on the feedback and include an update on the next agenda. | WM/TO WM/TO |
[04/06/07 Item 1] [11/05/07 Item 1] | 2. Centeniers in the Magistrate's Court The Panel noted with regret the resignation of the Deputy of St Martin as Chairman of the Panel on 5th June 2007. The Panel noted the resignation on 5th June 2007 of the Panel's legal adviser for the Centenier's Review. The Panel approved the payment of the adviser's final invoice. The Panel further noted that a meeting with H.M. Attorney General had been arranged, following his request, for 11.30am on 13th June 2007. The Panel discussed its decision of 11th May 2007 to send letters to H.M. Attorney General (as head of the Island's prosecution service, Titular Head of the Honorary Police and Legal Adviser to the States of Jersey), the Minister for Home Affairs, the Magistrate, Assistant Magistrate and, for information, to the Bailiff , as Head of the Judiciary. It had been intended that the letters (with the exception of the one to the Bailiff ) would ask whether the Cooper opinion was accepted, the resulting policy implications and a possible way forward in |
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such circumstances. The Panel noted that the letters, dated 14th May 2007, had not included reference to a possible way forward.
[16/05/06 3. Meeting with the Chief Minister
Item 1] The Panel noted its agreement at the meeting with Ed
Egglishaw of Orchid Communications on 16th May 2007 that the Chairman would speak to the Jersey Evening Post to express the Panel's disappointment that the report of the meeting with the Chief Minister, on 14th May 2007, had not appeared to give a balanced impression of that meeting. Due to the subsequent resignation of the Chairman, the Panel was uncertain whether this action had been taken.
[14/05/07 4. Social Policy Framework
Item 3] The Panel recalled that, at its meeting with the Chief Minister on 14th May 2007, it had been noted that A Social Policy
Framework for Jersey fell within its remit. The Panel recommended that A Social Policy Framework for Jersey should be considered by the Panel. It agreed that following the resignation of Deputy Hill as Chairman, this would not be possible until after the election of a Chairman and Members of
the Panel at the States Session on 19th June 2007.
5. Regulation of Investigatory Powers
The Panel recalled its agreement of 16th April 2007 to seek further clarification from the Department regarding the potential benefits of a briefing offered on 30th April 2007 by the Minister for Home Affairs, Senator W. Kinnard. The offer was of a confidential briefing regarding the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Law.
The Panel was advised that it had not yet received a reply to its request for further clarification.
[16/05/07, 6. Early Years
Item 2] The Panel was advised that letters inviting written submissions
for the Early Years Review had been sent to all registered family day carers and the umbrella organisation the Jersey Association of Child Carers.
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer further consideration of the Early Years Review until after the election of a Chairman and Members of the Panel at the States Session
on 19th June 2007.
[14/05/07, 7. GP Out-of-Hours
Item 2.2.b] The Panel noted that it had still not received the official
Ministerial response to the GP Out-of-Hours report.
The Panel recalled the decision made at its meeting on 8th January 2007 that responsibility for following up the
recommendations contained within the GP Out-of-Hours report would, in the long term, lie with the Health, Social Security and Housing (HSSH) Scrutiny Panel. However, the Education and Home Affairs Panel would deal with the initial responses and comments emanating from the presentation of the report.
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer further
consideration of the issue.
- Action Updates and Matters Arising
The Panel noted actions taken following requests made at its previous meetings.
- Criminal Justice Policy
[02/04/07 The Panel noted receipt of correspondence, dated 30th May Item 7] 2007, from the Minister for Home Affairs that provided a
response to the comments it had made on Pillar 9 of the Criminal Justice Policy.
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer further consideration of the issue.
[14/05/07, 10. Code of Practice
Item 8] The Panel agreed to write to the Chairmen's Committee
requesting a list of the changes that had been made to the WM/TO recently lodged Code of Practice. It would also be seeking
some points of clarification and suggesting amendments.
11. Press Release by Deputy Southern
The Panel discussed the media release issued by Deputy G.P.
Southern on 11th June 2007 relating to the resignation of Deputy F.J. Hill as Chairman of the Panel. It noted that the
media release stated that Deputy Southern would be contacting the Panel with his concerns.
[16/05/07, 12. Orchid Communications
Item 1] The Panel was advised of the request of the Chairmen's
Committee for all Panels to discuss the future engagement of Orchid Communications. The Panel agreed that the opportunity to fully utilise the services offered by Orchid had not been taken and that good value for money had therefore not been achieved. It agreed that under such circumstances it would not represent best value to extend Orchid's contract.
13. Forthcoming Work Within the Home Affairs Remit
The Panel noted correspondence, dated 1st June 2007, that the Minister for Home Affairs had sent to all States Members to indicate her priorities for the ensuing eighteen months.
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer consideration of the subsequent course of action.
[19/02/07 14. Building A Safer Society
Item 14e] The Panel noted that Building A Safer Society – Annual Report
2006 (R.53/2007) had been presented to the States on 31st May 2007.
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer further consideration of the Report.
[14/05/07 15. Future Work Programme
Item 12] Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer further
consideration of its future work programme.
- Forthcoming Propositions
Due to its position the Panel agreed to defer consideration of
the following proposition.
Draft Unlawful Public Entertainments (Jersey) Regulations 200- Home Affairs, date of debate 17th July 2007
- Ministerial Decisions
The Panel noted the following Ministerial decisions pertinent to its remit:
Coastguard Vehicle – Use of Blue Beacons (MD-HA- 2007- 0034)
Prison Board of Visitors – Annual Report 2006 (MD-HA- 2007-0035)
Request to increase the Prison establishment by two Civil Servant posts (MD-HA-2007-0038)
Transfer of funding from Economic Development Department and Harbour Office to Home Affairs (MD-HA- 2007-0037)
Increase of the fee for the Legalisation of Documents (MD-HA-2007-0039)
Draft Unlawful Public Entertainments (Jersey) Regulations 200- (MD-HA-2007-0042)
Marriage and Civil Status (Amendment) (Jersey) Law 2001 (MD-HA-2007-0044)
Building a Safer Society Annual Report (MD-HA-2007-
0043)
- Questions to Ministers
The Panel noted that the Minister for Transport and Technical Services, Deputy G.W.J. de Faye, and the Chief Minister, Senator F.H. Walker , were due to answer questions without notice at the States sitting of 19th June 2007.
The Panel noted that the Minister for Health and Social Services, Senator P F Routier, and the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, Senator M E Vibert , were due to answer questions without notice at the States sitting of 3rd July 2007.
- Panel Meeting Media Release
The Panel noted the draft template for post Panel Meeting media releases. However, due to its position the Panel agreed not to issue a media release for its meeting of 11th June 2007.
- Future Meetings
The Panel recalled that it would meet the Attorney General in private session on 13th June 2007 at 11.30am.
Subject to the outcome of the election of the Chairman and Panel Members in the States session on 19th June 2007, the Panel would meet again on 25th June 2007 at 9.30am in Le Capelain Room, States Building.
Signed Date: .. Chairman
Education & Home Affairs Panel