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Health, Social Security & Housing Scrutiny Panel
Record of meeting
Date: 1st November 2010 Meeting No: 13
Present | Deputy G.P. Southern (Chairman) Connétable D. Mezbourian Deputy D.J. De Sousa |
Absent | Connétable S. Yates |
In attendance | Mrs. C. Le Quesne, Scrutiny Officer Mr. M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer |
Ref Back | Agenda matter | Action |
| 1. Records of previous meetings The Panel approved, and accordingly signed, the minutes of its meetings on: 4th and 7th October 2010. |
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Item 2 7.10.10 | 2. Vice Chairman The Panel recalled that it had previously considered the appointment of a Vice Chairman and that it had deferred selection until all members were present. The Panel realised that it should not delay the appointment any longer. Connétable D. Mezbourian accepted the Panel's invitation to undertake the role. |
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Item 3 7.10.10 | 3. Matters arising The Panel noted the update of actions raised from previous meetings. In particular, it noted email correspondence from Professor J. Forder expressing his ongoing interest and availability to undertake deskwork for the Panel to review the Long Term Care of the Elderly White Paper which was expected in the last quarter of 2010. |
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Item10 07.10.10 517/8(8) | 4. Dental Health Review The Panel examined its draft report. The Panel approved the draft subject to typographical amendments identified at the meeting and subsequent minor amendments to be provided by members individually. A final version would be circulated to the Panel for information but it agreed that the report must be printed by Friday 5th November 2010 for presentation to the States as an SR on Monday 8th November 2010. The Panel noted that Section 7 of the report discussed the Health Insurance (Jersey) Law 1967 which was the subject of P125/2010, Draft Health Insurance Fund (Miscellaneous Provisions)(Jersey) Law 201- that was to be debated in the States on Tuesday 2nd November 2010. The Panel agreed that the proposition to remove funds from the Health Insurance Fund to pay for primary care had not been its original purpose neither had the proposed revised use been agreed by the States at the inception of that law. Furthermore, the Panel was concerned that the articles relating to dental health had not been enacted and that this should be a priority for any expansion of the funds | Panel/ MR/ CLQ |
517/16(8) | use. The Panel agreed that it would advise the States that it would "pull" P.125/10 and subsequently consider whether it would call in' that proposition in accordance with the Panel's powers under Article 72 of Standing Orders. In the interim, the Panel requested that meetings be arranged for it to receive a briefing on the background relating to P.125/10 from the relevant officers subject to the Minister's approval. Due to the current draft of the report being almost complete, it was agreed to send the Minister for Social Security and the Minister for Health and Social services confidential draft copies for their information prior to the debate. |
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Item 11 07.10.10 517/14(8) | 5. Use of Discretion within the Social security Department. The Chairman advised that he would present his work on this issue at a subsequent meeting. | GS |
Item 12 07.10.10 517/13(8) | 6. Income Support: Review on Benefit Levels The Panel noted that additional requested work was awaited from both of the review advisors. The Chairman had agreed a slight extension for one of the advisors. The Panel agreed that both officers were to work with the Chairman to ensure that the report was completed at the earliest opportunity. The Panel requested that the Chairman provide sufficient time and direction to officers to ensure that the report could be produced quickly and that an executive summary should be included. | GS/ CLQ/ MR |
Item 9 07.10.10 517/15(8) | 7. CSR2 Review The Panel discussed the review and agreed that it was essential that the evidence collected during its CSR2 Review must be clearly and impartially presented in its report. Having considered the issues the Panel recognised that the review presented a significant amount of work. Nonetheless, it agreed that it would aim to complete it by the second quarter of 2011. The Panel recalled that it had requested arrangements for Public Hearings with the Ministers from within its remit to discuss the CSR2 cuts proposed for each department and considered draft questions for each of those hearings. The Panel approved the questions having advised of additional questions to be included. The Ministers would be provided with question areas for the hearings in accordance with Code of Practice requirements. The Panel requested a Scoping Documents and Terms of Reference for the review. It noted that the Chairmen's Committee would require these documents prior to the first hearing on Monday 8th November 2010. It was also noted that Ministers would also require Terms of Reference prior to the Hearings. The Panel requested the Chairman to draft the Terms of Reference with officers and to circulate them with the scoping document for approval by electronic meeting. The Panel agreed that the purpose of the review was to scrutinize decisions and proposals and not to attempt to provide Ministers with | MR / CLQ MR / CLQ |
| alternative policy. |
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| 8. Invitation for scrutiny of P151/2010 The Panel was advised that the Population Office had requested its view on P.151/2010, Draft Housing (General Provisions) (Amendment No 27) (Jersey) Regulations 201- . The Panel noted that the Minister for Housing would appreciate an indication of whether or not the Panel would wish to scrutinize the issue. The Panel decided that it would include questions on housing qualification periods to the Minister's first quarterly hearing on 9th November 2010 and that it would make a decision subsequent to that hearing. On a related matter the Panel approved draft questions for the quarterly Public Hearing with the Minister for Housing | Panel |
| 9. Overseas Patient Policy The Panel noted papers circulated namely;
It was noted that the Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services was expected to accompany the Minister at the CSR2 Hearing on Monday 8th November 2010. The Panel agreed that it would seek clarification from the Assistant Minister at that Hearing if time permitted or that it would invite him to attend a subsequent meeting. | Panel |
Item 14 07.10.10 | 10. Panel working practices The Panel recalled that working practices had been discussed at its last meeting. Following that discussion the Chairman had requested a paper on questioning techniques. The Panel discussed the paper and noted that some of its questioning techniques could be improved. The Panel agreed that adequate preparation time and tasking members with specific roles for hearings would ensure, for example, that questions were actually answered, contradictory evidence was spotted and that follow up and supplementary questions were used effectively to ensure that issues were fully explored. The Panel discussed the use of time and agreed that it should be prepared to arrange follow up hearings or request additional written answers to questions that remained unanswered. | Panel |
| 11. Written Questions The Panel noted recent written questions presented to the States that were relevant to its remit. |
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| 12. Ministerial Decisions The Panel noted recent ministerial decisions within its remit. |
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| 13. Questions to Ministers |
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| The Panel noted that the Minister for Health and Social Services was to take questions without notice in the States on 2nd November 2010. |
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| 14. Forthcoming Propositions The Panel noted forthcoming propositions that were relevant to its remit. |
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| 15. Future meetings. The Panel noted the following meetings; Public Hearing with Minister for Health and Social Services 8th November 2010 between 12.30p.m. and 2.00p.m. in Le Capelain Room, States Building. Public Hearing with Minister for Housing 9th November 2010 at 9.30a.m. in Le Capelain Room, States Building. The Panel was to convene at 9.00a.m. for private meeting. Panel meeting continued 11.00a.m. 9th November 2010 in the Le Capelain Room, States Building. Public Hearing with the Minister for Housing on CSR2, from 9.30a.m. - 11.00a.m. 10th November 2010 in the Le Capelain Room. The Panel was to convene at 9.00a.m. for private meeting. A new date would be requested for the scheduled Public Hearing with the Minister for Social Security on CSR2 as members had other commitments on the 12th November 2010 due to the Home Life Show 2010 at which scrutiny had a stand. | MR/ CLQ |