Income Support - Approved Sub-Panel Minutes - 8 December 2009

Present

Deputy G.P. Southern , Chairman Deputy T. Vallois, Vice Chairman Deputy D. De Sousa

Connétable D. Mezbourian

Apologies

Connétable S.A. Yates

In attendance

Mr. E. Le Quesne, Advisor

S. Le Quesne, Scrutiny Officer

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Minutes

The Sub-Panel received and approved its minutes of the 24th November 2009.

Item 2 24.11.09

2. Review update

The Sub-Panel received an oral report from the Chairman and was advised as follows -

Following  the  approval  of  the  Sub-Panel's  proposed working practice of basing a Scrutiny Officer at The Bridge in  order  to  conduct  questionnaire-based  interviews  with clients, the practical arrangements were confirmed. These included: the fact that the Officer would share office space with another worker; that the weekly rent for the space would amount to £50 for three mornings; that permission had been granted for States IT workers to install networked computer services for use by the Officer.

The Chairman informed the Sub-Panel that he had lodged Proposition P.208/2009 Brighter Futures: funding for 2010 and beyond.

The  Sub-Panel  was  informed  of  a  meeting  to  be  held between the Chairman and Officers of the Social Security Department and the Statistics Unit, the purpose of which would be to discuss the inclusion of Sub-Panel questions in the forthcoming Jersey Annual Social Survey (JASS). The Sub-Panel then discussed the nature and significance

of  the  JASS,  and  the  type  of  questions  that  might  be included in it.

The Chairman reported that a representative of The Self Advocacy Project had agreed to assist the Sub-Panel in its research by giving clients of the Project the option to fill out the Sub-Panel's questionnaire on deprivation levels. The Chairman also stated his intention to propose the topic of Self Advocacy as a review for the Health, Social Security and Housing Panel's 2010 work programme.

3. Sub-Panel Questionnaire

Members reviewed drafts of questionnaires on deprivation levels intended for use by the Sub-Panel in its face-to-face and online client  assessments, and  also  by  States  Members  and stakeholders  who  have access  to  core  client  groups.  Various amendments  were  discussed  and  the  Officer  was  directed  to make the agreed changes to the master documents.

Draft  covering  letters  intended  to  accompany  mailings  of  the questionnaires were also reviewed. Some changes were made and the Officer was directed to amend the master documents accordingly.

It was noted that the Data Protection Office should be consulted on  any  potential confidentiality  and  data  protection  issues surrounding  the Sub-Panel's  questionnaires.  The  Chairman advised Sub-Panel Members that these steps had already been taken.

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5. Income Support – Health Benefits

The Sub-Panel considered a letter from a member of the public, who raised the issue of the inadequacy of health benefits under the current Income Support scheme. The Sub-Panel agreed that a response to reassure the sender that these matters are being reviewed by the Sub-Panel in its current work programme should be sent. It was also agreed that the reply to Miss Rabet's letter should  be  forwarded  to   Connétable  M. K. Jackson ,  in  whose parish Miss Rabet resides.

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6. Next Meeting

The Sub-Panel noted that the date of its next meeting would be agreed by email.

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