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Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel
PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting
Date: 16th April 2007 Meeting 20
Present Deputy F. J. Hill, BEM, Chairman
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 |
[02/04/07, Item 13] | 1. Working Arrangements The Panel considered the role of the Chairmen of Scrutiny Panels, Panel Members and Scrutiny Officers as well as the Panel's future working arrangements. The Officers were asked to leave for this section of the meeting and a record was therefore not taken. Subsequent to the commencement of the formal record of the meeting, the Panel recalled that Panel Members had a right, as independent States Members, to research topics of interest that fell within the Panel's remit although in such circumstances Members would not access the support service provided by the Scrutiny Office. It was noted that Members who undertook such work could bring the results before the Panel for its consideration. It was noted that Panel Members should raise matters at meetings if there were not a clear understanding regarding a particular issue; if it were not feasible to do so at a meeting, it was noted that Panel Members could highlight matters by electronic correspondence soon after the meeting. In the event of a potential lack of clarity for the Scrutiny Officers, it was requested that the Officers contact the Chairman in the first instance. |
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[02/04/07, Item 15] | 2. 2008 Annual Business Plan With regard to the draft 2008 Annual Business Plan, the Panel considered the provisional cash limits and the summary of key issues in relation to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and the Department of Home Affairs. The Panel considered and identified questions that it would wish to put to the relevant Ministers, Senators M.E. Vibert and W. Kinnard. The Panel requested that the most recent annual report for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board be circulated for information. | WM/TO |
It was noted that scrutiny of the overall Business Plan process fell within the remit of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel. It was further noted that the Machinery of Government Review Sub-Committee had sought the views of States Members on the Business Plan process.
The Panel was advised that an indication had been received that the deadline for its comments to be received would be 1st May 2007. However, a formal response to its correspondence to the Chief Minister requesting clarification on the deadline had yet to be received. The Panel was further advised that correspondence on this matter would be sent in the name of the Chairmen's Committee.
It was recalled that, in its former guise as the Social Affairs
Scrutiny Panel, the Panel had met the five Ministers within its WM/TO remit (at that time) in connection with Annual Business Plan
2007 (P.92/2006). The Scrutiny Officers were requested to
circulate the notes of these meetings to the Panel.
The Panel was advised that Senator Vibert was due to meet
the Panel at 10:00am on 30th April 2007 with Senator Kinnard
due to attend at 11:30am. The Panel considered that more
time would be required to discuss the relevant issues and
agreed to advise the Ministers accordingly and request that
Senator Kinnard attend at 2:00pm. It was recalled that the WM/TO Ministers would receive a list of the areas that the Panel would
wish to cover during the meetings.
WM/TO The Panel requested that a question plan be drawn up for its
meetings with the Ministers on 30th April 2007.
The Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to meet the Chief WM/TO Minister, Senator F.H. Walker and that he would be invited to
attend the Panel Meeting on 14th May 2007 in order to discuss
the Business Plan as well as more general matters in relation
to Scrutiny.
[02/04/07, 3. Youth Service
Item 11] The Panel recalled that Deputy S. Pitman had sought advice regarding a possible conflict of interest in relation to a potential
Scrutiny Review of the Youth Service. It was advised that
Deputy Pitman was seeking further guidance.
[02/04/07, 4. Early Years Education and Care
Item 16] The Panel was advised that an indication had been given to
the Chairman by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee that the Committee was likely to undertake work in
relation to this topic.
Scrutiny Review folders were distributed to the Panel.
The Panel considered the draft Terms of Reference. It was
noted that Mr. M. Lundy, Assistant Director – Schools and Colleges, Department of Education, Sport and Culture, had
offered to provide a briefing to the Panel on Early Years Education and Care. It was agreed to defer further consideration and approval of the Terms of Reference until this WM/TO briefing had been received. The Panel agreed to request that
Mr. Lundy attend at 1:15pm on 18th April 2007. It was noted
that a request would need to be made to the Minister for BH Education, Sport and Culture for Mr. Lundy to attend. The Chairman undertook to speak to the Minister on this matter.
The Panel was informed that Deputy J. Gallichan had sought advice in relation to a possible conflict of interest with regard to this Review and had been advised that there was no such conflict.
- Records of Previous Meetings
The Panel approved and signed the record of its meeting of 23rd March 2007. Approval of the record from 2nd April 2007 was deferred to the subsequent Panel meeting when minor amendments would have been made.
- Action Updates and Matters Arising
The Panel noted the actions that had occurred in relation to requests made at its previous meetings.
The Panel was advised that Deputy D.W. Mezbourian had appeared before the Machinery of Government Review Sub- Committee. It was further advised that Deputy S. Pitman had made a written submission to the Sub-Committee.
- Ministerial Decisions
The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture between 27th March and 10th April 2007:
- Jersey College for Girls and Victoria College and respective Preparatory Schools – request by the Governing Bodies to increase fees for the academic year 2007-2008 (MD-ESC-2007-0019)
- Final Version of the report 'Jersey Council for Culture Formation' (MD-ESC-2007-0018)
The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Home Affairs between 27th March and 10th April 2007:
- Application to write motor insurance in Jersey - Landmark Insurance Company Limited (MD-HA-2007-0028)
- Customs and Immigration Service Annual Report 2006 (MD-HA-2007-0027)
[02/04/07, 8. Visit to Westminster and Lambeth
Item 13] The Panel noted that a request had been made for the Panel
to give a presentation to Scrutiny Members at a meeting of all such Members that would occur on 22nd May 2007. It was noted that the meeting had been postponed from the date initially identified due to other events. It was further noted that, at the eventual meeting, the Panel's presentation could entail a question and answer session based upon the report of its visit to Westminster and Lambeth.
The Panel noted that its report had been uploaded to the
Scrutiny website and distributed to all Scrutiny Members. The
Panel agreed that the report would be forwarded to all States WM/TO Members who had not yet received it. It was also agreed that
the report would be forwarded on a formal basis to the WM/TO Machinery of Government Review Sub-Committee.
- Future Meetings
The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would occur
on 30th April 2007 and that it was likely to be an all-day
meeting.
- Questions to Ministers
The Panel noted that the Minister for Planning and Environment and Chief Minister would answer questions without notice at the sitting of the States Assembly on 17th April 2007.
- Forthcoming Propositions
The Panel noted that there were no relevant propositions, lodged au Greffe for debate by the States, that it had yet to consider. It was noted that Draft Prison (Amendment No.6) (Jersey) Law 200- (P.18/2007) was due to be debated on 1st May 2007.
[02/04/07, 12. Centeniers in the Magistrate's Court
Item 14] It was noted that the Chairman and Deputy D.W. Mezbourian
had met the Panel's advisor, Professor A. Le Sueur , on 7th April 2007.
The Panel noted that correspondence had been sent to a number of Jersey advocates and English lawyers with the view to engaging legal advice in relation to Human Rights issues. It was noted that the engagement of such advice would ultimately lead to further spending than that identified at the Panel's meeting of 23rd March 2007. It was noted that a request was likely to be made later that week for Panel approval for the engagement of legal advice; Panel Members were requested to ensure that approval was given post-haste.
The Panel agreed that the Chairman would take responsibility for choosing the front cover of the final Scrutiny Report.
13. Future Work Programme
The Panel recalled that it would consider and choose a second Scrutiny Review topic (to run concurrently with the Review of Early Years Education and Care) once it had undertaken work on the 2008 Annual Business Plan. The Panel noted that work would ultimately be desirable in relation to the proposed Police Authority, regardless of whether or not a Scrutiny Review was undertaken.
Signed Date: ..
Chairman
Education & Home Affairs Panel