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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 11 February 2008

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Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting

Date: 11th February 2008 Meeting 57

 

Present

Deputy D.W. Mezbourian , Chairman

Deputy J. Gallichan, Vice-Chairman [except Items 2 to 4 and 6] Deputy S. Pitman

Apologies

Connétable G.F. Butcher

Absent

 

In attendance

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Assistant Minister for Home Affairs [Item 8b] Mr. M. Robinson, Head of Customs and Immigration [Item 8b]

Mr. W. Millow , Scrutiny Officer Mr. T. Oldham , Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel approved and signed the following records of its meetings:

  • 22nd January 2008  
  • 25th January 2008  
  • 31st January 2008  

The Panel was advised that the record of the meeting on 21st January 2008  was  pending  and  would  be  forwarded  to  the  Panel  upon completion.

TO

[31/01/08, Item 1]

2. 2008 Work Programme

The Panel noted that scoping documents had been prepared for potential reviews relating to Customs and Immigration and Social Inclusion-Special Needs. The Panel recalled that it would receive a briefing on the work of Customs and Immigration from Deputy A D Lewis , Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, and Mr M Robinson, Head of Customs and Immigration. It agreed to defer consideration of this subject until after the briefing had been given.

 

 

3. Marriage and Civil Status

The Panel noted receipt of correspondence relating to Marriage and Civil Status legislation from Dr E Moran. The Panel noted that it was awaiting the draft legislation but agreed an initial response to Dr Moran, with the intention that it would re-consider the points raised following receipt of the draft legislation.

WM /TO

[31/01/08, Item 7]

4. Policing of Events

The Panel considered progress on the draft report and agreed to meet on 14th February 2008 to undertake further consideration of its findings and recommendations.

WM

[31/01/08, Item 8]

5. Early Years

The Panel requested that a full draft of its report should be distributed for consideration. The Panel noted that consideration could be given to using information contained within the Jersey Annual Social Survey 2007.

The Panel was advised that the submission made by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture containing follow-up information from Public

TO TO

 

Hearings would be duly forwarded to Members.

 

[31/01/08, Item 2]

6. Draft Civil Aviation Law

The Panel recalled its previous agreement to write to the Minister for Home Affairs with comments on Draft Civil Aviation (Jersey) Law 200-. It was agreed that Chairman would consider comments and forward them to the Panel for consideration.

DM

 

7. Discrimination (Jersey) Law

The Panel noted receipt of the Consultation Document relating to the Draft Discrimination (Jersey) Law and considered its course of action. It was agreed that Panel Members would individually consider the draft ahead of meeting on 25th February 2008, at which time the Panel would determine any comments that it might submit. The closing date of the consultation was noted as being 14th March 2008.

 

[31/01/08, Item 5]

8. Customs and Immigration

  1. General Matters

The  Panel  was  advised  that  Her  Majesty's  Revenue  and  Customs (HMRC)  report  that  had  recently  been  produced  on  Customs  and Immigration had yet to be signed off by the Minister for Home Affairs. Once  this  had  happened  it  would  be  forwarded  to  the  Panel  as requested.

  1. Briefing

The Panel received a briefing on the work of Customs and Immigration from Deputy A D Lewis , Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, and Mr M Robinson, Head of Customs and Immigration. This part of the meeting was held in private session under Article 3.2.1(b) of the Code of Practice on Public Access to Official Information.

WM /TO

[31/01/08, Item 5]

9. Annual Business Plan 2009

The Panel recalled the request made by the Minister for Home Affairs for comments to be made on the Minister's Funding Pressures by the end of February 2008, and its subsequent decision to consider the Funding Pressures for both Home Affairs and Education, Sport and Culture. The Panel agreed to give further consideration to the Pressures at its meeting on 14th February 2008.

 

[31/01/08, Item 3]

10. Crime (Disorderly Conduct and Harassment) Law

The Panel recalled the Minister's response to questions that it had raised in respect of the Crime (Disorderly Conduct and Harassment)(Jersey) Law  200-.  The  Panel  agreed  that  it  would  begin  work  on  drafting comments relating to its work on the matter to be issued  when the proposition was lodged.

WM/ TO

[21/01/08, Item 7]

[21/01/08, Item 8]

11. Action Updates and Matters Arising

The Panel noted that action updates from the previous meetings would be circulated to the Panel at the earliest opportunity.

The Panel noted that the Chairman had re-drafted its contribution to the 2007 Annual Report of the States Assembly. The Panel further noted its agreement of the re-drafted section.

The Panel was advised that the Chairmen's Committee's had met the Council of Ministers on 8th February 2008. It had been agreed that Scrutiny Panels would forward their scheduled meeting dates, agendas (when available), and a forward work programme to respective Ministers and Departments. Further discussions would also be held on how to improve synchronicity between the work programmes of the Executive and Scrutiny.

The Panel recalled its decision of 21st January 2008 to reply to Advocate

P. Landick in relation to the Criminal Offences (Jersey) Law and agreed

WM /TO

WM /TO

 

the content of its reply.

The Panel noted receipt of briefing notes from the Chairmen's Committee meeting of 18th January 2008. The Chairman advised that she had signed a Confidentiality Agreement on behalf of the Panel in relation to the information contained in the briefing given by officers from Treasury and Resources to Scrutiny Members on 1st February 2008.

WM /TO

[21/01/08, Item 8]

12. Machinery of Government Review

The Panel noted that it had been requested to respond with its comments on  Recommendations  19  and  20  of  the  Machinery  of  Government Review [R.105/2007], through the Chairmen's Committee. The Panel considered the Recommendations. In relation to Recommendation 19, it agreed that it would generally accept with the principle but that there would be some questions to address were the Recommendation to be implemented. In relation to Recommendation 20, the Panel agreed that it would  be  premature  to  undertake  a  structural  review  of  the  type suggested in the Recommendation. The Officers were requested to forward the Panel's comments.

WM /TO

 

13. Forthcoming Propositions

The Panel noted that the following proposition had been lodged by the Minister for Home Affairs and was due to be debated by the States on 11th March 2008:

 Jersey  Police  Complaints  Authority:  Appointment  of  Members (P.196/2007)

 

 

14. Ministerial Decisions

The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Home Affairs:

  1. Request  to Treasury  and  Resources  to fund  Home  Affairs' overspend on Court and Case costs (MD-HA-2008-0003)
  1. Draft Civil Aviation (Jersey) Law 200- (MD-HA-2008-0010)

The Panel noted that the following decisions had been made by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture:

1. Annual Report (2006) of the Lord Portsea Gift Fund to the States (MD-ESC-2008-0001)

 

 

15. Questions to Ministers

The Panel noted that the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture and the  Minister  for  Transport  and  Technical  Services  would  answer questions without notice at the States sitting of 12th February 2008.

The Panel further noted that the Minister for Health and Social Services and the Chief Minister would answer questions without notice at the States sitting of 26th February 2008.

 

 

16. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that a supplementary meeting would occur at 9:30am on 14th  February  2008  in  Le  Capelain  Room,  States  Building.  Its  next scheduled meeting would take place on 25th February 2008 from 9:30am in Le Capelain Room, States Building.

 

Signed  Date: ..   Chairman, Education & Home Affairs Panel