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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 16 June 2008

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Education & Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

PUBLIC MEETING Record of Meeting

Date: 16th June 2008 Meeting 77

 

Present

Deputy D.W. Mezbourian , Chairman Deputy J. Gallichan, Vice-Chairman Deputy S. Pitman

Apologies

Connétable G.F. Butcher

Absent

 

In attendance

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 records of its meetings held on the following dates:

  • 30th May 2008  
  • 2nd June 2008  
  • 4th June 2008  

 

[02/06/08, Item 2]

2. Customs and Immigration

The Panel received an oral update on the information and submissions received to date, noting that a request had been made from HD Ferries to provide evidence at a Public Hearing.

The Panel was advised that responses had not yet been received to some of the Panel's other requests; the Scrutiny Officer was requested to take the appropriate action to follow-up these unanswered requests.

The Panel discussed its subsequent course of action on the review. The Panel agreed that Members would consider the evidence received and the briefing document forwarded on 12th June 2008, submitting comments to the officer by 4th July 2008.

TO PANEL

[02/06/08, Item 3]

3. Social Inclusion – Mont-à-l'Abbé

The Panel noted that it had recently received a draft question plan for its public hearing on 24th June 2008 with the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture. The Panel agreed that Members would consider the question plan and feedback comments to the officer by the morning of Thursday 19th June 2008.

The Panel was advised that, in line with Article 10.10 of the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee, it was required to advise the Minister of the key areas of questioning it wished to focus on at least five working days in advance of the hearing.

The Panel recalled that Deputy Gallichan would be unable to attend the public hearing.

The Panel requested that a media release be prepared for the hearing.

PANEL

WM

[02/06/08,

4. Annual Business Plan

 

Item 7]

The Panel noted the paper on follow-up work on the provisional cash limits and draft proposals; and the paper on the lines of enquiry in relation to the capital programme. It agreed that Members would further consider the papers and feedback comments to the officer.

The Panel was advised that the Chairman would raise the matter of Ministerial responses to the individual Panel reports, which had been submitted to the Council of Ministers in May 2008, with the Chairmen's Committee on Friday 20th June 2008.

The Panel noted that a briefing for Scrutiny Members on the Annual Business Plan was scheduled to take place on 30th June 2008.

PANEL

[21/01/08, Item 11]

5. Rôle of the Centenier in the Magistrate's Court

The Panel noted the paper highlighting potential follow-up actions that it could consider taking in relation to the recommendations made in SR18/2007 Rôle of the Centenier in the Magistrate's Court.

The Panel agreed to follow the Action Plan outlined in the paper, requesting updates from, and putting written questions to, the Minister for Home Affairs; H.M. Attorney General; and the Comité des Chefs de Police. This  correspondence  would  be  published  on  the  Scrutiny website as a record of the actions undertaken and the information received.

WM

[12/05/08, Item 6]

6. Social Policy Framework

The Panel noted receipt of correspondence from the Chief Minister. It was  further  noted  that  the  Council  of  Ministers  had  been  due  to consider the Social Policy Framework at its meeting on Thursday 12th June 2008. The Panel requested the officers to undertake to advise it of the outcome of the Council of Ministers considerations.

WM/TO

 

7. Internal Review into Working Practices

The Panel noted receipt of the internal review into working practices undertaken by Deputies R.G. Le Hérissier and J.G. Reed. The Panel raised concerns about Recommendation 3.1 relating to the role of the Chairman in drafting Terms of Reference and about the comments contained in Section 8 regarding media contact.

The Chairman would be contacting Deputies R.G. Le Hérissier and J.G. Reed to clarify the intended outcome of the review.

Following a request from the Chairmen's Committee to consider the matter, the Panel agreed that a proposed Scrutiny Away Day was not necessary at this time.

DM

[30/05/08, Item 2]

8. Action Updates and Matters Arising

The Panel noted the Action Updates and receipt of the briefing notes of the Chairmen's Committee meetings of 25th April 2008 and 23rd May 2008.

The Panel recalled that the Draft Marriage and Civil Status (Amendment No.2)(Jersey) Law 200- had been postponed from debate by the States from 3rd June 2008 to 1st July 2008. The Panel was advised that the Minister  for  Home  Affairs  had  explained  the  reasons  for  this postponement to the Chairman, which had included the proximity of the presentation of the Panel's comments to the original scheduled debate. The  Panel  agreed  that  it  would  write  to  the  Minister  regarding  the presentation process of future Panel comments on matters relating to

WM

 

Home Affairs.

 

[04/06/08, Item 3]

9. Early Years

The Panel received an oral report from Deputy Pitman on the Jersey Child Care Trust (JCCT) events that she had attended on Thursday 12th June 2008. The Panel noted that the events' guest speaker, Dr John  Bennett,  had  spoken  highly  about  the  content  of  the  Panel's report. The Panel was advised by Deputy Gallichan about the JCCT event that she had attended on Friday 13th June 2008.

The Panel noted receipt of the Ministerial response to its Early Years report. It agreed that Members would further consider the response and feedback comments to the officer by 4th July 2008.

PANEL

 

10. Forthcoming Proposition

The Panel noted that the following proposition had been lodged by the Minister for Home Affairs for debate by the States Assembly:

1.  Draft  Terrorism  (Enforcement  of  External  Orders)  (Jersey) Regulations 200- (P.84/2008)

Date of Debate: 15th July 2008

 

 

11. Ministerial Decisions

The Panel noted that no decisions had been made by the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture between 28th May 2008 and 9th June 2008.

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

1.  Terrorism (Enforcement  of  External  Orders)  (Jersey)  Regulations 200- (MD-HA-2008-0029)

The  Panel  noted  the  recent  press  coverage  of  MD-HA-2008-0037 Police  Procedures  and  Criminal  Evidence  (Codes  of  Practice) (Amendment) (Jersey) Order 2008,  made by the Minister for Home Affairs  on  5th  June  2008.  The  Panel  requested  that  the  officers undertake to clarify the process of Ministerial Decisions and agreed to write to the Minister for an explanation of events relating to MD-HA- 2008-0037.

WM/TO

 

12. Questions to Ministers

The Panel noted that the Minister for Health and Social Services and the Chief Minister would answer questions without notice at the States sitting on 17th June 2008.

 

 

13. Future Meetings

The Panel noted that its next scheduled meeting would take place following the Annual Business Plan briefing to Scrutiny Members on 30th June 2008.

 

Signed  Date:

..   Chairman, Education & Home Affairs Panel