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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 14 July 2008

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Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting

Date: 14th July 2008 Meeting 80

 

Present

Deputy D.W. Mezbourian , Chairman Deputy J. Gallichan, Vice-Chairman Connétable G.F. Butcher

Deputy S. Pitman [Items 1 – 6]

Apologies

 

Absent

 

In attendance

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

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1. Records of Meetings

The Panel agreed the records of its meetings that had taken place on 30th June 2008 and 2nd July 2008.

 

[30/06/08, Item 2]

2. Customs and Immigration

The Panel considered the evidence that it had received to date and its next steps. The Panel agreed that it would invite representatives of HD Ferries to attend a public hearing, provisionally scheduled for 25th July 2008. The Minister for Home Affairs would be invited to attend a public hearing on the same date.

The Panel requested the lead officer for the review to begin work on draft Heads of Report and agreed that the Chairman would liaise with the officer on this work.

The Panel agreed that it would seek advice relating to Common Travel Area obligations and that the Vice-Chairman would liaise with the officer on this matter.

TO DM/TO JG/TO

[30/06/08, Item 3]

3. Social Inclusion – Mont-à-l'Abbé

The Panel received an oral update on the progress of its review. A report  would  be  drafted  in  the  coming  week  and  subsequently distributed to the Panel. The Panel noted that a submission from the Health and Social Services Department was outstanding at this time.

WM

[30/06/08, Item 8]

4. Draft Police Force Law

The Panel considered Curriculum Vitaes that it had received in relation to the position of adviser for its review. The Panel agreed candidates that it would invite to attend interviews and identified potential dates. The lead officer for the review was requested to make the necessary arrangements.

The Panel agreed that it would be beneficial to receive the Law Drafting brief for the draft law. Further, it noted that draft terms of reference had recently been circulated by email and agreed that these could be used

WM WM

 

as  a  basis  for  initial  work.   It  also  recalled  that  the  Comité  des Connétable s was giving consideration to the draft law.

The  Panel  noted  that  during  the  course  of  the  review  it  might  be beneficial to seek legal advice on the implications of certain articles of the draft law.

 

[30/06/08, Item 7]

5. Firearms Law

The Panel noted that the corresponding legislation in Guernsey had been distributed to Panel Members.

The Panel agreed to identify potential questions to be submitted to the Minister for Home Affairs and forward these to the lead officer by 25th July 2008.

The lead officer was requested to confirm the intended lodging date for the draft law and advise the Panel accordingly.

Panel TO

[30/06/08, Item 4]

6. Annual Business Plan

The Panel noted that a briefing on the 2009 Annual Business Plan would be held on 24th July 2008.

 

[30/06/08, Item 5]

7. Work Programme

The Panel noted its revised work programme for the remainder of 2008 and its remaining budget for the same period. In particular the Panel noted  that  the  Customs  and  Immigration  review  was  likely  to  be completed in August, as had been originally scheduled.

 

[16/06/08, Item 6]

[16/06/08, Item 5]

8. Matters Arising and Action Updates

The Panel noted the updates on actions requested at previous Panel meetings.

The Panel was advised that the Council of Ministers had postponed its consideration of the Social Policy Framework that had been due to be undertaken on Thursday 12th June 2008. The officers would continue to monitor the matter and advise the Panel of the outcome of the Council of Ministers considerations.

The Panel noted that a letter had been received from H.M. Attorney General in response to the Panel's correspondence, dated 19th June 2008, regarding findings and recommendations contained with in its report The Rôle of the Centenier in the Magistrate's Court (SR18/2007). The letter would be copied and distributed to the Panel.

The Panel was advised that procedurally the administration of Standing Order  72  during  States  sittings  in  September  2008  would  remain unaffected by impending elections. It was noted, however, that the Panel would need to consider on a political level the implications of employing  Standing  Order  72  for  items  of  legislation  debated  in September 2008.

WM/TO

WM/TO

 

9. Forthcoming Propositions

The Panel noted that the Minister for Home Affairs had lodged the following proposition, due to be debated by the States Assembly on 15th July 2008:

1. Draft Customs and Excise (Amendment No. 6) (Jersey) Law 200-

 

 

(P.54/2008): amendments (P.54Amd/2008) –

 

 

10. Ministerial Decisions

The Panel noted that the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture had made the following Ministerial Decision:

1. Publication of the Annual Report on the Work of the Jersey Heritage Trust and the Archivist under the Public Records (Jersey) Law 2002 (MD-ESC-2008-0014)

The  Panel  noted  that  the  Minister  for  Home  Affairs  had  made  the following Ministerial Decisions:

  1. The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service's Annual Performance Report for 2007 (MD-HA-2008-0028)
  2. Prison and Registrar authorised signatories (MD-HA-2008-0036)
  3. Submission to States Annual Business Plan 2009 (MD-HA-2008- 0035)
  4. Appointment  of   Deputy  Superintendent  Registrar  (MD-HA-2008- 0041)
  5. States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service – Island Risk Profile 2008 (MD-HA-2008-0005)

 

 

11. Ministerial Assurances

The Panel was advised that the Chairman would be  writing to the Privileges  and  Procedures  Committee  to  determine  the  appropriate format for monitoring Ministerial Assurances.

DM

 

12. Questions to Ministers

The Panel noted that the Minister for Social Security and the Chief Minister would answer questions without notice at the States sitting of 15th July 2008.

 

 

13. Future Meetings

The Panel agreed to postpone the meeting that had been scheduled to take place on 28th July 2008, noting that it might be meeting on 22nd July  and  25th  July  for  interviews  and  public  hearings  respectively, subject to confirmation of arrangements by the officers.

WM/TO